


･ Underwater Chrysalis ･

by prettiugli



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh!, Yu-Gi-Oh! - All Media Types, Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Drama & Romance, Fantasy, M/M, Prideshipping, Romance, Sexual Fantasy, Smut, Tentacle Sex, Tentacles, dark themes, long fic, prideship
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-05
Updated: 2019-10-03
Packaged: 2019-10-04 13:31:49
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 25
Words: 141,864
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17305499
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/prettiugli/pseuds/prettiugli
Summary: While on the hunt for a precious mineral deep under the sea, Seto Kaiba unintentionally fishes out a magnificent creature with alluring violet eyes and wild hair.On the verge of bankruptcy, the soon to be ex-billionaire is faced with a difficult multiple choice question.Should he:a) release the mythical creature?b) announce his discovery to the world?c) slowly study the creature to learn its secrets?d) or...you know, just have a lot of sex with it because why not. All the cool kids are fucking mythical creatures these days.





	1. I made a promise

Kaiba glared at the two dark screens hanging above him in the submarine control room, wondering if this dive was worth it.

The video feed on the left screen was dark, with occasional flashes of light red from the sensor above, and the thermal chart on the right screen was also displaying no changes.

Gritting his teeth in annoyance, Kaiba swept his gaze across his crew, all of them with their backs turned to him, busy with monitoring their own readings.

He glanced up at the screens above his head again, sighing.

It felt like a curse, because they always ended up empty handed after hours of exploration. He had bought the mineral rights to this specific part of the ocean because he was seeking a rare material that had washed up along the shore above them.

The air in the control room was silent with tension.  
The stress was apparent.

It was widely known to the general public that these dives, the submarine, the equipment, and the licensed crew, had cost him an arm and leg.  
  
This was a risky venture, because his money would run out...eventually, and Kaiba swore that this expedition would come to fruition before he went bankrupt.  
He wasn’t a man who took risks that failed.

Furthermore, the mineral they were hunting was so rare that scientists had not yet named it, so it was a mad race to find the pocket where more of these mysterious stones were buried.

“Descending…another 15 meters,” a professor announced from his station, and the surrounding staff nodded in agreement.

Kaiba folded his arms across his chest, glaring so hard at the screens above him, his eyes began to water.  
Agonizing.  
That was one word to describe each venture.  
But they had to go slowly. What if they missed something?

Maybe this was a good time to pray.  
Kaiba wasn’t a man who subscribed to a religion, but it felt like there was a greater force at work, one that didn’t want him to find more of these minerals.

He had been checking the daily logs, and re-scanning the video feeds from each dive like a man possessed, desperately hoping to see something they might have missed, but there was nothing remarkable in any of their records, save for a stray whale that had blocked their sensors for two minutes yesterday while it swam past.

“Nothing,” announced a woman to his left. “Sir?”

“…Can we continue? What do your sensors say?” the man asked from the other side of the room, and the professor to his right suppressed a yawn.  
  
Kaiba’s eyelid twitched. Well, they had been descending for almost five hours now, with nothing to show for it.

“We’re not equipped to keep going,” she said nervously, and Kaiba snapped his head up to stare at her.  
What? What was she saying?! Of course they were!  
He had the top-of-the-line equipment, and Japan’s most educated marine professionals right here in this room!  
Did his millions mean nothing?

“It’s too deep,” another scientist spoke up from the front, switching the video feed screen to display another thermal image. “None of our cameras are picking up anything. We can crawl along here for another hour and see what we find?”

“But if not…then, up we go,” the professor sighed moodily, taking off his glasses and sticking them into his pocket before he rubbed his forehead tiredly. “We’re sorry, Mr. Kaiba.”

Kaiba let his breath out in a slow hiss, curling his fingers into his palm, trying his best not to panic.  
Fuck.  
The ascent was going to be another agonizing five and half hours of nothing.  
A whole day, gone. Wasted.  
What’s more, the area of land he had reserved was not very big. They had already combed through every single inch of it and were in the process of doubling back.  
  
He had meticulously planned a series of dives that would twice-cover the exact area he had purchased, and this was their twenty-third dive. He had been counting.  
  
Impossible…! Had he…failed?!

Lightheaded and dizzy, Kaiba moved to sit down in his chair, and he lowered his head silently, feeling his skin burn as all eyes turned to stare at him.  
  
No fucking way.  
He was positive that he had something here.  
His instincts were never wrong.

The low humming of the submarine’s engine was deafening, and Kaiba blinked rapidly, feeling his chest constrict with pain.  
No. He was not going to have a panic attack here.  
He had not failed. There were still options.

Suddenly, a low thump echoed around them, and submarine was rocked violently to the side.

Kaiba nearly lost his balance, but he held on firmly to the armrest of his chair and gazed up at the screens, seeing a lot of jagged activity on both of the thermal sensors.  
Did something hit them? It felt like a whale had whacked them with its tail.

“Video, video!” his staff cried, and one of the screens was switched to show an infrared clump of seaweed floating messily in their view.

“Where did that come from?” The professor cried, obviously shaken. “We’re too deep for that type of seaweed to thrive here!”

“It’s moving!” Another staff member cried, and she turned to face Kaiba, her eyes wide. “Received a message from the sound technicians! Movement confirmed!”

“A whale?” Another woman asked curiously, “Or a shark? An endangered species perhaps?”

“Whatever the fuck it is, throw it in the tank,” Kaiba growled, fuming. He was tired of rising to shore empty handed. “Will it fit?”

“Half of it is debris,” the professor said, frowning at his screen, pointing at the image with the back of his pen. “You see these dots? It’s probably trash. It’s something caught in trash.”

“Seal it all in the tank, and we’ll pull it apart when we get back to the lab,” Kaiba ordered, feeling a headache coming on, and he heard a chorus of “yes sir.”

Suppressing an annoyed sigh, Kaiba continued to stare at the wriggling mass on the screen, seeing the metal claw reach toward the clump to slowly drag it out of sight.

“We’re not authorized to fish in this area—” a man started, and Kaiba cut across him angrily. “Then we release it after detangling it from garbage. Or we eat it.”

And with that, he stormed off, heading to the sound room to hear what they had managed to gather from the mysterious moving mass.

* * *

Atem was doing his best not to panic. Too many things were happening at once, and the pain in his tail was becoming unbearable.

He was bleeding, and he could see his own blood staining the water green before his eyes, and every tiny movement sent a sharp jolt of pain up his spine, so he opted to stay still.

The human contraption had pierced the end of his tail and had dragged him for several feet before sealing him off from the ocean.

It was as if a veil had been dropped over his senses and everything had been dulled.

He let out a yell and felt the water reverberate around him, but nothing happened.  
  
There was an eerie stillness he had never felt before, and it shook him to the core.

Captured.  
He had been captured by a human!  
Did this mean all of his communication had been cut off from the outside world?!  
  
Inside the submarine, Kaiba stared at a spiked chart of sound activity in the sealed pod, listening to the scientist explain to him that it was probably a baby whale they had caught and should probably let it go.

Atem took deep shuddering breaths, tasting his own blood in the water. It made his eyes and his nose sting.

Was the spike still in his tail? He couldn't see because he had been surrounded with this dreadful net of seaweed. What kind of terrible human would—

Before he could finish his thought, Atem felt the spike recede, and the pain dulled instantly.

Closing his eyes quickly, Atem grabbed at the seaweed net and wrapped it around his body, forcing his tail to heal quickly so he could swim away at the first chance without being seen.

The net that he had been tasked with disposing of was now his saving grace.

 _If only I had gone up later,_ Atem thought angrily to himself, curling his fingers around the seaweed.

After a moment, he shivered, realizing it would’ve been Mana in this situation if he had not bravely volunteered to take her place.

Everyone took turns gathering and disposing of human debris floating near their kingdom’s hemisphere, and he knew Mana had a deathly fear of shallow waters after she had almost been spotted by a diver.

But this contraption was new.  
Atem prided himself on his own extensive knowledge of humans, but this sealed tube was something he had never encountered before.

Willing himself not to be afraid, he gripped the net and decided that playing dead was the best possible solution.

If he was spotted by the human that caught him, he would be faced with the misfortune of killing it…to protect his family.  
  
He would go down in history as the second king to have ever killed a human…if he survived, and Atem wasn’t sure how to feel about that.

* * *

Kaiba stepped out of the elevator and walked purposely through the lab, speaking quickly into the headset.

“Release the organism.”

A hatch in the ceiling peeled back slowly and there was a pause before a loud rush of cascading water descended into the prepped tank, filling it to the brim with green, slimy water.

Wrinkling his nose, Kaiba approached the tank and heard footsteps running up behind him. The lab technician gasped at the sight.

A black mass of something disgusting was trapped in the center and the color of the water wasn’t helping.

“What is that?” she cried, pressed a hand to her chest and also wrinkling her nose. “It smells….! Is this tank sealed properly? Check the seals!”

“Right away!” A man called in response from the hallway behind them, and Kaiba stared intently at the tangled mass of seaweed in the center of the tank.  
The tank _was_ sealed. He had triple-checked.  
  
If the smell was this potent from where they were standing, it meant that the water was probably contaminated from whatever poison the distressed creature had released.

This was definitely not something whales did. Maybe this was an undiscovered species of squid?

“Purify the water,” Kaiba said tersely, and he heard the order being passed around behind him. “Wait! And take samples of it before purification.”

“Understood!” came the eager response, and Kaiba sighed, staring at the solid black mass one last time before turning on his heel and walking to the exit.

Since they couldn't touch the creature while the water was being purified, he could re-image and filter the feed they had obtained.

Daring to feel excited, Kaiba stepped into the elevator and watched the doors slide shut in his vision.

* * *

Atem kept his ears peeled, doing his best to catch any sounds through the barrier. He knew the name of this material. It was Glass. Probably.  
  
If he screamed loud enough, it would shatter…or something like that, right? But then how would he escape from where he was now? He would also be seen immediately. This curtain of seaweed wasn’t impenetrable.  
  
Sighing in frustration, Atem daringly nudged the seaweed apart very slightly, attempting to get a peek at what was outside, but all he could see was his own blood in the water. Everything was too dirty.

It had also been a while now, so why had no human approached him yet?

Restless and on guard, Atem remained still and vigilant.  
This was fine. He could survive this.  
Many merpeople before him have been captured and managed to bargain for their freedom.  
But….  
Atem grit his teeth and willed himself to keep it together as terrible thoughts flooded his mind.  
  
The human that had captured his mother several hundred years ago wouldn’t let her go, which was why there was a blanket order on their entire kingdom, stating that if anyone of their own had been captured, the human was to die first.  
  
They were following an example set by the neighboring kingdom. The royal court realized a human had captured the princess’s lady-in-waiting, and by killing the human, they had managed to save her –unlike his mother, whom they had never seen again, and was presumed dead.

Now deeply frightened, Atem closed his eyes and forced himself to breathe evenly.  
  
Maybe he should pray…to someone, anyone.  
Watasumi, Charybdis, Suijin…it didn’t matter who.  
Just any God who would be on his side when it came time to kill a human.

* * *

**Author’s note:**

 Hi my lovely cuties! I am back with another new story! (comment below and tell me what you think!!)

The tone for this one is a bit serious, maybe a little awkward? Hehehe idk, we’ll see where it takes us, okay? Thank you for giving this story a chance!

*super mega ultra disclaimer: I know literally zip-nada about marine biology. (wishes I had a biology professor -who isn’t google-chan- at my side who I could ask to help confirm my facts.)

Edited by: [Setokaibaes  
](https://archiveofourown.org/users/marshmallons/pseuds/marshmallons)& special thanks to friends and readers: venom_for_free, ItsAJ_bitches, Jenicorn

Love,  
Ugli

_Psst: please consider supporting me[with some spare change](https://www.paypal.me/hellopiko/5), even though I publish all chapters fully edited for your enjoyment, I would be so grateful if you wanted to donate something to help motivate me!_

**_HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!_ **


	2. I cannot keep

Kaiba stood in front of the tank, staring at the mass of floating seaweed, and at the water which was still tinted an unearthly brownish-green.

What the fuck was in this water? They had been purifying for almost three days now. He was getting impatient.

“Should we release a cleansing agent in the water? It would help disperse the organic matter faster,” his assistant said quietly, almost as if reading his mind. “Or do you want to continue with the filtration process?”

“Let me think about it,” Kaiba growled, turning and walking to his own station to flip his laptop open. He needed to make sure that the thing inside was actually alive first.

“Then I’ll come back,” she said quietly, and her heels clicked away softly.

Kaiba flipped the lights on and angled them towards the tank, trying to catch a glimpse of what had been caught in the seaweed.

Atem was asleep when a searing white light flooded his senses and he opened his eyes a tiny crack, blinded by the sudden brightness.

Annoyed, he turned over and continued sleeping.  
It had been three nights, and no human had come to bother him. No attempts of communication had been made either, so this light was not threatening at all.

Kaiba adjusted the brightness of the lights from his laptop and decided he would stick a camera into the water.

He attached the camera onto the robotic arm hugging the side of the tank and maneuvered the lever with precision, lowering it into the water carefully.

Atem pricked his ears up when he heard something enter the water above him, and he opened his eyes, horrified to discover that it was a camera.

Panicking, he flipped himself upside down and lashed out at it with the end of his tail, breaking the camera off the metal arm and watching it sink rapidly to the floor beneath him.

Crisis averted.

Now what else was the human going to throw at him? Probably another camera. This human was stupid.

Wrapping the seaweed tighter around his body, Atem wrinkled his nose, hating the way everything smelled. The scent of his blood combined with the stale stench of his own waste was making him sick.

Being trapped in this tiny room, floating in his own waste and blood with nothing but a piece of garbage as defense was a special kind of torture indeed.  
  
If he made it out alive, he definitely had a story to tell.

Kaiba cursed silently when he saw the camera break off the arm, and he rushed back to the computer to re-play the feed.

On his screen, the camera dipped beneath the surface of the water, slipping through a layer of seaweed before something gold glinted back at him, and the feed went dark.

Swallowing thickly, Kaiba re-played it again and again several more times, his heart racing excitedly in his chest. Maybe…just maybe, the mineral was difficult to find because it grew out of a living thing!

Dashing back to the robotic arm, he attached another camera to it and decided to wait before lowering it.

Atem was ready for it this time.  
He saw only one shadow through the curtain of seaweed, and tensed. One human. Should he be thankful that there was only one human doing this to him?

He heard the camera enter the water again, and he glanced directly upwards, not seeing it.

Kaiba carefully circled the arm around the mass of seaweed, being sure not to disturb the creature head-on this time.  
He could quietly insert it in from the side.

Now on full alert, Atem heightened his senses and listened for the high electronic whine.  
It was coming somewhere from his left.  
Ah…this human wasn’t so stupid after all. It was trying to sneak in.

 _Try me,_ Atem fumed, seeing a glint of silver through the curtain of seaweed, and he held his breath, waiting patiently.

The metal arm inched closer slowly, centimeter by centimeter, and Atem was getting more and more furious by the second.

He floated off to the side, making sure to let the arm come all the way into his seaweed blanket before he grabbed at it and gave it a vicious yank.

The camera did not budge from the metal arm. It stayed stuck.

Growling to himself, Atem gave it another hard jerk, attempting to rip it off the arm, but it seemed the camera had been attached to it in a different way this time.

Thoroughly fed up, Atem tore a piece of seaweed off with his teeth and tied it around the lens in a pretty knot, and he smirked triumphantly.

Kaiba saw the robotic arm shaking, but it seemed to have hit the center of the seaweed mass.

He glanced over at his laptop, seeing nothing but darkness.  
No? Further then.

He moved the arm forward continuously, making sure to go slow for fear he might hurt or scare the creature.  After a moment, Kaiba was expecting to bump the thing in the middle, but nothing happened.

So he kept pushing the lever forward, and to his immense surprise, the camera passed right through the center of the mass and came out the other side.

Tilting his head in confusion, Kaiba circled the tank and stared at the camera with incredulous horror.

It had been forcefully tilted upwards, and seaweed had been wrapped around its entire body with eerie precision. What’s more, the lens was sporting a cheeky seaweed bow.

Blinking rapidly, fear shot through Kaiba quickly when realized he realized he was dealing with an intelligent creature. One that could tie…seaweed bows?!

Atem bit back a gasp when he caught a glimpse of the human through a strip of seaweed, and he quickly moved the water so that the seaweed once again covered his whole body.

Feeling dangerously naked now, Atem glanced down repeatedly, making sure the tips of his tail were concealed.

He felt the water ripple and the metal arm was removed.

Letting out a sigh of relief, Atem closed his eyes tightly, hating everything.   
So this was how it was going to be. Poked and prodded at until…what?  
Maybe this human was just as scared as he was.  
Would the camera come again?

Kaiba growled angrily as his fingers slipped on the seaweed surrounding the camera, and he decided he needed scissors or a knife.

What the fuck kind of squid tied knots like this?

He stormed off to get scissors, and Atem held his breath, daring himself to feel triumphant.

It sounded like the human was frustrated. He had won.

Smirking to himself, he tucked his arms behind his head and stretched out, feeling stiff. He had been curling himself up into a ball so much, his stomach felt numb.

Atem froze when he heard footsteps returning, and he grit his teeth. Damn! This human was persistent.

Kaiba sliced the seaweed away from the camera and re-adjusted it on the robotic arm with renewed determination. This creature was pissing him off now.

He raised the arm quickly and hovered it above the water, staring intently at the black mass in the center of the tank, wondering if he could be seen.

Atem could only see the bottoms of the human’s feet, and he gazed upwards, hating the blurry image of the metal arm hovering over him.

It began to lower into the water slowly, and Atem glared at it spitefully, keeping it in his sight.

It seemed the human was trying the same tactic as before, slowly inching the camera one agonizing centimeter at a time through the seaweed on his left.

Suddenly, the metal arm shot forward with surprising speed, and Atem was caught off guard. He grit his teeth and cursed at it, covering the lens with his palm and forcing the camera at an upwards angle before tying another piece of seaweed over the lens, not bothering to make the knot pretty this time.

He wanted to be left alone, or better yet, released.  
How could he communicate this to the camera without being seen?

Kaiba saw the robotic arm shaking, and he lifted the camera out of the water, unsurprised to see that seaweed had once again been tied around the lens, but in a knot this time.

He quickly turned to his laptop and re-played the feed.

The camera entered the water and slowly penetrated the seaweed curtain. In the murky darkness, something that looked like a human hand shot out and slapped the camera away before the image went dark again.

Shaking from head to toe, Kaiba slowed the footage down and froze it at a certain frame where the blurry hand was coming towards the camera.

Unmistakable.  
It was a human hand. It had five fingers.

Breaking out into a cold sweat, Kaiba ran to an empty station and switched on the thermal sensors surrounding the tank.

To his supreme amazement, a human-like form was floating in the middle of all the seaweed.

Growing weak all over, Kaiba sat down in the nearest chair and stared at the red and yellow blob on the screen. There was a very distinct head…shoulders…arms and torso, and from the hips downwards, there was oblong form trapping the legs together in the shape of a fin.

A…mermaid?!

Palming his face in dread, Kaiba wondered if he was hallucinating from stress or sleep deprivation.

He gazed at the tank listlessly, the cogs in his mind turning quickly before something clicked.

They had been purifying this water for three days now, using a slow, delicate process to avoid disturbing the environment of water too suddenly. But if the thing inside was half-human, that meant that the water was still dirty…because of…waste.

Nausea clawed its way up his throat and Kaiba rose unsteadily to his feet.

He bent over another station and carefully changed the purification level of the tank’s water.

Atem heard a low hiss and he tensed, seeing a series of fins appearing on the floor which were beginning to suck water out from beneath him.

Terrified, he tucked his tail in and grabbed ahold of as much seaweed as he could, preventing them from being sucked down into the black slits.  
The human was draining the water?!

Kaiba watched the tank from afar, seeing the curtain of seaweed moving unnaturally upwards, and he bit back a wry smirk. The mer-thing was probably pulling the seaweed up to keep it from being caught in the vents.

Letting out a tense sigh, Kaiba exited the lab and decided he would come back after taking a nap.

If he was still hallucinating a mermaid in the tank after he woke up, then it was real, and it was something he would have to deal with.  
If the tank contained a dead specimen because it had been killed after a vigorous purification, Kaiba decided that that was better than discovering he had netted a fucking mermaid.  
Because mermaids didn’t exist.  
They were fucking mythical creatures, and he was a man of science, not fairy tales.

Atem took deep gasping breaths, gratefully filling his lungs with crisp water, and he felt his head spin dangerously. Oh praise the Gods!  
  
Wait.  
  
Atem blinked and gripped the seaweed tighter, his heart thundering in his chest.  
Somehow…after having pushed away three cameras, his water was being changed to suit his needs.  
Was it possible that…the human had seen him?  
Impossible, right?  
How would the human know exactly what he needed?

Breathing lightly, Atem began to feel lightheaded, and his nose stung terribly.

Oh no…this was…fresh water!

 _I’m going to die,_ Atem thought weakly, wondering if he was going to use the last of his healing strength to stay alive in fresh water. He had already used most of it to fix his tail, and he hadn’t eaten anything in days.  
Where was the energy going to come from?

Deciding that being seen was better than being forced to sit in fresh water for hours, Atem surged forward through the seaweed and slapped his palms against the glass. To his absolute horror, the room he was staring at was empty.

The human, or humans, had left!

Frantic, Atem dove down to the very bottom where the salt water was being sucked out through the vents and took two large breaths before swimming his way to the very top of the tank where the fresh water was being poured in, and he wondered if he could stuff the seaweed into the pipe to keep the water from coming out.

It was worth a shot.

Giving his tail a powerful swirl, Atem gathered all the seaweed up in his arms and swam upwards towards the rushing water.

Using all of his strength, he balled the seaweed up and attempted to clog the pipe, but the water cascading down was too powerful, and he was weak. It was like he was swimming up against a vicious current, and on his freshly-healed tail no less.

His arms weakening terribly, Atem grit his teeth, his eyes watering from the assault of fresh water. It was getting harder to breathe, and there was no real air at the top of the sealed tank.

 _Why?_ Atem cried to himself. _What did I do to deserve this? I will not die here!_

He lunged upwards in one final attempt, but the seaweed was too slippery and the water was relentlessly pouring down on him.

Fading in and out of consciousness, Atem realized he going to pass out.

Darkness crept in through the corners of his vision before enveloping him completely, and his arms went limp at his sides.

* * *

Kaiba sat up slowly and stretched, silencing his buzzing phone alarm and catching a glimpse of the time on the screen.  
  
3:11 AM.

The purification should have been completed by now.

He pushed the blanket off of himself and hurried to the elevator, feeling giddy with a mixture of dread and excitement.

The metal doors slid open and Kaiba rushed towards the tank, almost slipping in his haste at the sight floating before him.

It was a man. A beautiful man with spiky tri-colored hair, floating amidst stray strands of seaweed, wearing a golden crown, a neckplate covered in glittering jewels, and various golden armbands.

But the most striking thing about him was the tail.  
It was long, thick, and a dull red color.

Awestruck, Kaiba daringly stepped closer, wondering if the man faking sleep.

He raked his gaze up and down the merman’s form, taking in his muscular chest, the toned arms…and the fingertips that were slowly turning blue.

Wait.

Kaiba blinked, his heart stopping in his chest.  
  
Oh shit.

Was it…dead?!

He rushed to push the emergency button in order to drain the tank before running to check the water properties on his laptop. Tapping the screen impatiently, Kaiba was horrified to discover that he had accidentally filled the tank with fresh water.

Now fully panicking, he turned his gaze back to the tank, seeing thick strands of seaweed hanging from the pipe in the ceiling.

Oh god…oh fuck.  
The merman had clearly tried to stuff the seaweed into the pipe to prevent the fresh water from coming in, but had failed and lost consciousness.  
Oh shit.  
Kaiba gripped his hair in distress, seeing the body of the merman flop eerily against the glass.

He had killed it!

Shit. Shit. Shit.

The water drained completely and Kaiba stared nervously at the lifeless form before he decided to fill the tank with salt water again. And he would draw water directly from the ocean. Time was of the essence right now, so he wasn’t going to fiddle around with different salt levels.

Water came cascading down from above, and Kaiba swallowed dryly, standing beside the glass, knocking on it nervously.

He decided to keep the tank filled only a third of the way, leaving the merman half-submerged and face down in the water.

Kaiba shut the pipe and held his breath, unable to tear his eyes away from the glittering earrings the merman was wearing.

If he wasn’t mistaken…the stones in his jewelry were exactly what he needed.

One test to make sure. But was snatching jewelry off an unconscious body considered theft?

Also, had he just committed murder?!

Distressed, Kaiba slipped his phone out and sent an email to his staff, giving them the next three days off. He didn’t need people coming in to see this.  
If this thing was dead, he needed to dispose of it privately.  
If this thing was still alive…well, he was fucked either way.

* * *

Atem slowly opened his eyes and a headache pounded at his temples.

Sunlight streamed in from the small square above him, and he turned his head to the side, realizing he was elbow-deep in water. Salt water. He dove his head down into it, taking deep shuddering breaths.

By some miracle, he was alive.

Coughing lightly, Atem felt his lungs ache, and he managed to sit up.

His heart skipped several frantic beats in his chest when he saw one human sitting very close to the glass.  
  
Atem bared his fangs in a hostile grimace and tried his best to calm down. Showing the fact that he was scared wasn’t going to solve his problem.

The human did not move, and Atem frowned.

His eyes were closed. Asleep?

Daring to move closer, Atem pressed his nose up against the glass, his breath catching in his throat when he realized…this human was beautiful. He was male, with light brown hair, and pale skin. His features were sharp, and his lips looked almost like a woman’s.

Backing away slowly, Atem glanced up, seeing miles of tank above him, and the residual strands of seaweed that were still hanging from the pipe.  
So this human was intelligent. He saw the seaweed and put two and two together.

Splashing the water angrily with his tail, Atem padded his hands up and down the glass. There was no way out. What, was he going to be kept here like an animal?

Were there going to be other humans? Cameras? He no longer had the protection of the murky water and the seaweed.

Kaiba heard the merman splashing around and he decided to keep his eyes closed until he had calmed down. Good, he was awake.

Now what?

He held his breath and daringly opened one eye slowly, seeing the edge of a sparkling red tail with thin, golden veins, and his blood ran cold.  
The color of the tail looked different now. It looked alive.

Atem knocked on the glass three times after seeing the human’s eyelids flutter, and he lowered his arm quickly, wondering why he wanted to wake the man. And how would they communicate?

What genus of human was this man?  
Atem frantically tried to recall what he had learned in his studies. Was this an Asian Human? Or a European Human? Did this man speak English? Japanese?

Atem decided to try.

“Wake up,” he said tentatively, using Japanese first, and to his great surprise, the man raised his head and looked him straight in the eye.

It was as if an arrow had been shot through Atem’s chest. The man’s piercing blue eyes seared right through him, slowing his heart down to a slow, painful pound.

Handsome. A human with the eyes the color of the sea.

Blinking rapidly, Atem looked away, angry with himself. He knew beautiful humans existed, but this was his first time seeing one up close.

Kaiba opened and closed his mouth silently, unable to speak after being shocked into silence.

It…talked! This thing was definitely alive, and he was not hallucinating, because he had just woken up from a second nap.

“Did you…Did you almost…” Kaiba composed himself and rose to his feet, wondering how formal he ought to be. “You almost died.”

“Thanks to you,” the merman shot back with a venomous glare, his angular eyes flashing dangerously, and Kaiba felt his stomach twist strangely.

Right. It could talk, and respond intelligently. Time to make his demands.

“Give me your earrings,” Kaiba said stiffly, wondering if he should’ve asked more politely. “And I’ll give you something you need.”

Atem sat up straighter, attempting to remain composed even though he was only sitting in a few inches of water like a dead fish. This man…however attractive, spoke foul words and was only after his jewelry! Humans were greedy!

But…his mother’s earrings for the price of freedom? A good trade.

“Deal,” Atem said readily, unable to look the man in the eye, so he decided to focus on his nose instead. “I give them to you after you release me back into the ocean.”

“No deal,” Kaiba answered coldly, shoving his hand into his pocket and curling his fingers into a tight fist. “You give me the earrings, and you get more water.”

Atem ground his teeth angrily, unable to believe his own ears. What was this?! Was he being denied a basic need…for the jewelry?

“How dare you,” Atem seethed, losing his temper quickly. “That’s as if I’m asking for a lock of your hair, while I deprive you of oxygen.”

“You look like you can breathe just fine,” Kaiba answered mildly, thinking he could run enough tests on this merman to know just what he needed to survive. He was half-submerged for now, and if he changed the water every few hours, it should be fine.  
Literally just like taking care of a goldfish.

“Are you going to wear my earrings?” Atem asked nastily, and he saw a muscle jump in the man’s cheek. Jackpot. He had made the man angry.

“I’m going to melt them down and use them to make revolutionary strides in technology,” Kaiba answered truthfully, deciding to keep his anger in check.  
He held the power in this situation. This mer-thing was just taunting him.

“Melt them?!” Atem cried, his stomach curling with disgust and dread. “These were my mother’s!” At least if the human was going to wear them, he’d feel better about giving them up.

“How about one of my rings instead?” Atem suggested cleverly, holding up his middle finger in a rude gesture he had learned from a young American boatman, and he saw the man react with a laugh that made his hair stand on end.

Kaiba found that he couldn't stop laughing, and he gripped his sides, wondering why this was so funny. This guy was quite entertaining, tail and freaky three-colored hair aside.

“I’m being serious,” Atem said uncertainly, wondering if this human was demented. Who laughed after being insulted?

“Fine,” Kaiba said, straightening up fully, smirking. “Can you tell me where I can find more of those stones? It’s the black one…with the blue center.”

Atem frowned and realized the human was only after one particular stone. The most expensive and rare one out of them all. What’s more, he recalled the largest one of these stone had been stolen from the kingdom’s treasury several moon cycles ago.  
Had humans somehow managed to get their hands on this stone?  
Was it going to be viciously hunted now, like gold and diamonds?  
But at least gold and diamonds were worthless.  
This stone was not.

“Would you give me my freedom in exchange for one of those stones?” Atem asked genuinely, thinking that Mahad would send up the whole treasury just for his freedom…and then murder this man to take the treasury back.

“No,” Kaiba answered simply, knowing he was being played. “I need more than one, and for a long period of time. Tell me where to dig, and we have a deal.”

“Dig?” Atem frowned, wondering why the human thought that this stone came from the sand. “A sea demon lays these stones. You can’t dig for it. You hunt for them.”

Kaiba felt another laugh clawing its way up his chest and he swallowed it forcefully, feeling the corners of his mouth twitching upwards. A sea demon. Priceless. If this was a game show, he would’ve won the prize for most ridiculous answer.

“You don’t believe me, but it’s true,” Atem said plainly, crossing his arms firmly and looking away, attempting to sound bored and less frightened. “I’ve just divulged a secret and told you where to get the stones. Release me.”

If he killed his human right before he was released, everything he told him now would be erased. It was fine telling this human such things.

“No you fucking didn’t,” Kaiba retaliated, leaning against the glass and doing his best not to stare at the merman’s smooth chest. “You just told me it came from a fucking demon. Where is the demon’s…lair?”

“Don’t know. I’m not a hunter.” Atem said plainly, and Kaiba bit his tongue lightly, watching the merman examine his extremely long claws which looked dangerously sharp. “If you won’t release me, at least give me more water and put me in a shallow pool. I don’t want to be fully submerged.”

 _So I can escape_ , Atem thought nervously, and he saw the man shake his head and smirk handsomely.

“You can have shallow water, and I’ll lower the glass,” Kaiba replied, moving to press a button along the wall, and Atem’s eyes followed him like hawk.

A mechanical whirring filled the room and the glass began to sink into the ground. Atem watched, astounded.

He was up against a very dangerous foe. This man had tools at his disposal. Tools that could easily kill him, like the pipe with water above his head.

Suddenly realizing how helpless he was, Atem couldn’t help but think that this man already knew of the merpeople’s existence, and his glass cage was almost too well designed.

“You don’t intend to let me go!” Atem cried, pressing his palms against the glass which was still sliding downwards. “You want to keep me here forever! Why? Are you going to let other people come in and see me? Will you charge them money? You want money?”  
  
Atem knew that humans usually lived by three basic concepts: money, love, and food.

Not necessarily in that order.  
This man wasn’t after love or food, because he asked for earrings.  
It was money! It had to be that.

To his horror, the man let out another chilling laugh and pressed the button on the wall to make the glass stop moving downwards.

“I don’t need money,” Kaiba sneered, feeling a pit of dread swirling low in his chest. “I need the material to make my technology better.”

To make more money.  
Because all of this sea exploration had led him to nothing but a talking fish in a tank and impending bankruptcy.

“You want to make the technology to make your money.” Atem said cleverly, catching on quickly. “You have a lot of money, I can see that already, but you need more. You can have gold instead. It sells much faster. You don’t want the stones. No one knows what it is.”

 _Cute,_ Kaiba thought angrily, biting the inside of his cheek tightly before responding, “I want it _because_ no one knows what it is. I’ve lowered the glass, so I’ve done my half of the bargain. Now give me one of your earrings.”

Atem blinked rapidly and shook his head. If it wasn’t for anything other than his freedom, he would not relinquish his mother’s earrings.

“You can have my crown,” Atem said desperately, lifting it off his head and holding it out with shaking arms. “There are three stones you can use in this, as opposed to the one in the earrings.”

“I see,” Kaiba smiled wryly, “The earrings have sentimental value. You’d rather give me something more valuable.”

Atem swallowed tightly and gripped his crown, wondering if he could slit this annoying man’s throat with one swipe if he got close enough. Humans bled red blood, just like all mammals in the sea, and it was messy.  
But Atem vowed he would do anything for his freedom.

“Okay, I’d like to think I’m fair,” Kaiba said coldly, eyeing the three round stones sitting embedded at the edge of the crown, and their icy blue cores sparkled back at him enticingly. “You give me three stones, so I’ll give you water, food…and?”

“Freedom,” Atem said through clenched teeth, deciding he could wait it out a bit longer before breaking free.

“We’ll talk about it,” Kaiba replied with as much warmth as he could muster, and he walked towards the buttons on the wall again and moved the robotic arm over the glass edge of the tank.

There was no fucking way he was getting within arm’s reach of this talking monster with a man’s body and fish’s tail. It had claws and fangs, features clearly meant to hurt flesh.

Atem narrowed his eyes at the man and then at the metal arm being lowered into the tank. Damn. This man was too smart.

He glared at the man for a long moment before gently hooking his crown onto the metal arm and watching it rise over the edge of the glass barrier.  
Fine. He would bide his time.

“Tell me your name,” Atem demanded, thumping a fist against the glass and he heard the man laugh maniacally again.

“Is that your third request? My name?” Kaiba asked, his eyes widening with glee, and his chest tightened strangely again at the way the merman was glaring at him.

“My water needs to be cycled through every hour. I don’t eat kelp or sea urchin, and yes,” Atem said in a rush, thinking he would include as many demands as possible to help him stay alive.  
  
After all, the fresh water incident had almost killed him, and it seemed to have been an honest mistake.  
This human wanted him very much alive.

“What’s wrong with sea urchin?” Kaiba wondered out loud, thinking that he enjoyed a good cold marinated sea urchin, and he received a distasteful hiss in response.

“It’s food for peasants,” Atem replied smugly, knowing that this statement would strike a nerve in the human. “You mortals would eat the dirt beneath your feet if you could.”

“Ten plates of sea urchin for tomorrow’s dinner it is,” Kaiba answered blithely, giving the merman a wave over his shoulder while he walked to the exit. “My name is Seto Kaiba.”

“Good riddance,” Atem said bluntly, rolling his eyes.“Human Seto Kaiba.”

* * *

**Author’s note:**

The reveal of the majestic merman!   
Kaiba is behaving surprisingly normal (due to his denial)  
atem just wants out! Someone help him!

edited by: setokaibaes  
  
[(links. hmu. feed me. love me. hug me. look at pics of my bunny)](http://uglifish.tumblr.com/links)

\--Ugli


	3. I told a lie

Kaiba paced his office nervously, doing his best to avoid looking at the golden crown sitting atop his desk which was gleaming threateningly at him.

The stones were lodged tightly in the gold. The merman had called it a crown, and the memory made his stomach churn.  
He would have to melt the surrounding gold to get to the stone.

But something felt off about plucking the stones from it, and Kaiba wondered if it would bring bad luck.

Sighing, he sat down behind his desk and picked the crown up gingerly, turning it in the light, admiring the thin engraving along the entire rim.

Maybe he could call a jeweler and see what they could do about removing the stones for him without damaging the crown.

He heard a knock at the door and Mokuba’s voice drifted through it, “Seto? Are you busy?”

“Yes, Mokuba,” Kaiba replied, palming his face tiredly. “Come back later.”

“Okay,” Mokuba replied quietly, and he backed away slowly from the door, feeling a rush of resentment towards his older brother.

Seto had been holing himself up in the lab for the past few months, and it was starting to get on his nerves. At least Seto would resurface after several weeks, but this time, it seemed different.

Mokuba had even moved some of his stuff from his room into the spare bunk at the lab to be closer to Seto, hoping to catch more glimpses of his older brother, and it was alarming to see him grow more pale and sallow as the months dragged on.

What’s more, the media was tearing their company apart, criticizing them for not being “environmentally conscious” due to Seto’s newest venture. It became so prevalent that Mokuba had to set up a filter for his own name in his own computer to avoid seeing negative news about himself.

Today was also a work day, but not a soul was in sight.

Grumbling to himself, Mokuba stalked over to the elevator and slapped his palm against the sensor, watching the door slide open quickly before he stepped in.  
  
Maybe if he stuck his nose into the lab’s business, he could get an idea of what they were doing, and find a way to help Seto.

* * *

Atem was sitting in the far back of the tank, actively avoiding the sunlight coming in through the tiny square in the ceiling. His skin was terribly dry after his unwelcome soak in fresh water and the sun wasn’t helping.

He curled his tail underneath himself, feeling the water grow unbearably warm.  
  
This was another special hell in itself, and Atem was beginning to have an inkling of how his mother may have perished.

Was the human doing this on purpose? Or was he unaware that the sun would slowly roast him alive, just like it would with any other human?

He heard footsteps approaching and froze, seeing another person emerge from the sliding door and stand at the far end of the room, gaping at him.

 _Another one!_ Atem’s blood ran cold with dread as he wondered if he had it in himself to kill two humans during his escape.

Mokuba stayed rooted to the spot with shock, staring at the man trapped behind the glass.  
What the actual heck?!  
Was Seto keeping someone prisoner down here?!

He ran forward and almost stumbled on his own feet before reaching the glass, pressing his palms against it and peering at the figure sitting curled in the back.

It was a man, with dark skin and wonderfully wild hair that had three different colors. His eyes were large and angular, and there was a strange fire in his pupils while they stared at each other silently for a long moment.

Mokuba opened and closed his mouth, discovering that his voice had died in his throat.

Atem assessed the human carefully, taking in his long black hair, small stature, large grey eyes and small hands. A child.  
A child very close to growth into a full human.

Children were more malleable than adult humans. Perhaps this child could help him.

“I’m dying,” Atem said plainly, seeing the child’s eyes widen in fear, and a trickle of hope ran through his chest. “My skin is drying out from the sun.”

Mokuba obeyed without question, and he ran to slam his palm against the scanner on the wall, tapping the screen frantically, searching for the button that would close the hatch in the ceiling.   

Pleased, Atem watched a welcome shadow creep over the large patch of sunlight, and he instantly felt cooler.

Breathing a sigh of relief, he risked a smile at the boy, “Thank you.”

Still unable to speak, Mokuba shrugged his shoulders awkwardly, wondering how long this guy had been down here. He was still sitting weirdly in the back, not moving.

Atem wasted no time raining questions down on the boy.

“Could you show me the way back to the ocean? You can open doors? Are strong enough to carry me? I can lend you my strength.”

Mokuba blinked, slowly finding his voice, and when he spoke, he thought he sounded oddly squeaky. “A way back…to the ocean?”

“Yes, I live there,” Atem replied irritably, wondering if this child was going to react with fear or awe after seeing his tail. It was dark enough in the far corner that his lower half was still conveniently concealed under the water which had once again turned a murky brown.  
The human Seto Kaiba had neglected to cycle through the water through since he had left earlier, and Atem once again found himself humiliated, sitting in a pool of his own eliminations.

“What…then what are you doing here?” Mokuba asked quietly, knowing that Seto always had a good reason for his actions and was never unnecessarily cruel…not that he knew of.

But this was his first time discovering a prisoner in the lab. Mokuba wasn’t sure what to think of his older brother anymore.

“My tail was pierced with a metal arm.”

Atem spoke quickly, doing his best to elicit sympathy from the child. “It dragged me into a sealed tank, so here I am now. Please release me before the man with blue eyes finds out.”

“The man with blue eyes,” Mokuba repeated, his suspicion rising along with his curiosity. “The owner of this place? Seto Kaiba?” He had to make sure this spiky-haired guy was talking about his Seto, and not another scientist with blue eyes.

“Yes!” Atem nodded stiffly, dread curling low in his stomach when he saw the child’s face darken. Perhaps this child looked up to that man. “Please help me.”

“But why did Seto put you in here?” Mokuba continued, stepping forward and eying the surface of the water cautiously, thinking he had heard the man say ‘tail’. “Because you have a tail?”

Atem fell silent, realizing that this child would not be easily fooled.

“You want to see my tail?” Atem asked hopefully, running his tongue along the tops of his teeth and quickly retracting his fangs. “I’m an ocean fairy and I can grant you a wish…if you release me.”  
  
He smiled the warmest smile to he could muster, and to his rising horror, the child let out a curling laugh that made his hair stand on end.  
  
This behavior was strangely…familiar.

“An _ocean fairy_?” Mokuba jeered, feeling his shoulder shake with residual mirth. “Do you honestly think I’m six years old? I don’t believe that story for a minute. Try again. What bad thing did you do that made Seto lock you in here?”

Atem stared blankly at the child, growing numb all over.

So it was a matter of believing?

He quickly shifted himself and flipped the end of his tail carelessly out of the dirty water, seeing the child gasp and stagger back with shock.  
Ah good. Freedom was close.

“Tell me your wish,” Atem said, his throat slowly closing up at the lie _. And I won’t kill you,_ he finished privately in his mind, watching the child narrow his eyes at him.

 _A mermaid!_ Mokuba shook all over, unable to take his next breath. _No, a mer_ man _!_

Seto had caught…a mythical creature! Was this real? Was this a dream?

It all made sense now! This creature was the reason why Seto was so torn up.  
He had a pretty good idea why Seto was going on so many dives in the same area. His brother was trying to find the dwelling of these creatures!

“I’ll release you,” Mokuba said firmly, and he saw the creature’s face light up. “If you draw me a map of how to get to your home.”

Atem’s stomach sank so violently, he felt nauseous. This child was even worse than Seto Kaiba!

“Why would you want that?” Atem asked weakly, managing another thin smile. “You want a wish, don’t you? You can ask for anything you want! Money? Fame? …A female companion perhaps?”

Mokuba rolled his eyes, understanding that this merman had probably made the same bargain with Seto and had gotten nowhere.

“Fame sucks, and I have money,” Mokuba replied plainly, tilting his head at the merman after folding his arms across his chest. “I can find my own girlfriend, thanks. Give me something from your world.”

 _My world?_ Atem thought, terror stricken.  
These humans were smarter than any humans he had ever encountered.  
They didn’t want basic pleasures from their world.  
They sought the pleasures from other realms.  
How incredibly…greedy and disgusting.

“I—” Atem began but was cut off by a furious shout coming from the sliding doors at the far end of the room.

“MOKUBA!”

Dread climbed its way up his chest when he saw Seto Kaiba striding towards the child, his handsome features twisted in anger.

“Stay away from it! It’s dangerous!”

Atem watched as the child was yanked away by the arm and understanding slowly began to dawn on him.

This child…was Seto Kaiba’s kin. And his name was Mokuba.

He had also been called an ‘it’, and the phrase rattled painfully around in his mind.

“I’m dying!” Atem shouted hoarsely through the glass, pounding on it furiously as he watched the sliding doors shut with a quiet whoosh, leaving him alone in the room once more.

His stomach grumbled painfully and he sagged heavily against the glass, growing angrier by the second.  
This behavior was reminding him exactly why he hated humans.

Fine. If the humans were going to leave him here to rot, he would show them exactly how dangerous he could be.

He was done playing nice.

Growling, Atem raised his arm and extended his claws, giving the glass a vicious swipe and feeling his fingertips sting with pain. The result was a deep, grooved scratch, and the glass remained intact.

Covering his ears, Atem took a deep breath and slowly gathered all of his strength before letting out a piercing shriek, feeling the water reverberate dangerously beneath him while the walls of his enclosure began to crack, followed by the glass on all the electronic screens in the room popping and exploding at once.

Above, the Kaiba brothers were thrown off guard as all the screens in the room began to shatter violently.

Kaiba threw Mokuba to the ground protectively, shielding his head.

“Cover your ears!” Kaiba shouted over the deafening screech, and Mokuba nodded fearfully, his hands already clapped over his ears.

Breathless, Atem felt his scream linger horribly in the air.  
Maybe…if he was lucky enough, someone in his family would’ve heard him.  
  
A spiderweb of cracks decorated the entire enclosure, and Atem felt a surge of triumph. Finally.

He inched back on his elbows and gave the barrier a ferocious whip with his tail and shards of broken glass cascaded down around him like magnificent rain.

Now…he would bravely crawl through this debris to his freedom. It would be painful, but worth it.

Getting shakily to his feet, Kaiba helped Mokuba up and drew his little brother into a tight hug, feeling him tremble in his arms.

“Don’t ever go down there again,” Kaiba said hoarsely, his ears throbbing with pain, the sound ringing horribly in the air. “Do you understand?”

Mokuba nodded silently, on the verge of tears and at a complete loss for words.

Beneath them, Atem was blowing furiously at the glass, trying to clear a path for himself without dragging his tail over the shards.

His palms were already bleeding from tiny pinpricks he had received from placing his hands down at his sides, and he cursed, thinking he had trapped himself in another difficult situation.

The sliding doors opened, and Atem bared his fangs instantly, glaring hatefully at the human named Seto Kaiba, who was standing at the far end of the room, looking generally unshaken.

The glass crunched beneath Kaiba’s feet as he walked closer through the mess towards the collapsed tank, and his hair began to stand on end.

The creature was strangely beautiful even though it was helpless, surrounded by a circle snowy glass with its tail curled into its chest, fangs bared and claws raised.

Shallow water puddled around his feet and Kaiba stood his ground, standing an arm’s length away from the monster.

“If you keep breaking every enclosure I put you in, I’ll change the material, and you won’t like it,” Kaiba said firmly, willing his voice not to shake. “I’m going to put you in a new one now. Can we get along?”

“ _No_ ,” Atem hissed, leering angrily up at the human, now realizing he was extremely tall. “I will shatter every cage you put me in because I belong in the sea.”

“Then we will do this back and forth until one of us gets tired,” Kaiba said coldly, folding his arms across his chest, willing his heart to calm down. The creature’s fangs were thin and long, like a snake’s, and he briefly wondered if they were venomous.

Atem gazed apprehensively up at the human, hating every handsome feature on his face. Vile…disgusting creature.  
Fine. If the human wanted to keep him caged, comfort was a top priority.

“You were killing me,” Atem said plainly, folding his arms across his chest. “The water is not fresh, and the sun was burning me…” He held up his arm for the human to see that the red patch was beginning to shed a flaky grey film.

There was no energy left in his body to spare for healing now. Having been deprived of food for four days and three nights, everything was taking a toll on him.

Kaiba blinked rapidly, understanding that this creature was more sensitive that he had originally thought.

“…and I’m starving,” Atem growled, curling and uncurling his fists. “At least make my enclosure livable, you cruel piece of shit.”

 _That I am_ , Kaiba thought mildly, giving the creature an appraising look.

“I will help you,” Kaiba said, and he heard the creature hiss at him.

“You are not _helping_ me,” Atem retaliated. “You are doing the exact opposite. Don’t speak lies.”

“I will _give_ you…your comforts,” Kaiba corrected himself, beginning to grow impatient. “In return—”

“In return, you free me!” Atem sneered, holding up his middle finger again, no longer deciding to play nice. “I refuse to give you anything from my world. I’m not bargaining with you anymore. Release me, or I kill you the first chance I get.”

Kaiba stood there for a long moment, wondering if he was hallucinating to a point of no return.  
Impossible, because Mokuba had seen this thing too, and he was standing in his lab…surrounded by millions of dollars’ worth of damaged equipment.

If this creature let out the scream repeatedly, he’d be ruined.  
  
Gagging it was out of the question. It would create more hostility between them, and releasing it back into the ocean was not something he was willing to do just yet.

Not until he found out more about the mysterious stones.

Threats didn’t seem to be working, and at this rate, bribery didn’t appear feasible either.

“How about this…” Kaiba began, and he saw the creature flick its tail irritably and look away haughtily. “I give you your crown back. I have not touched it yet.”

Atem kept his gaze focused on the silver wall to his far right, feeling his eyes water heavily. He was trapped here until he made a deal with this unmovable human.

“You wear a crown, so you must be…royalty,” Kaiba stated, waiting for the creature to correct him, and when he was met with defiant silence, he continued to speak. “There must be something happening in your…kingdom…that you want to change. What is it?”

“Oh, indeed,” Atem whipped his head around to glare at the human. “The fear of being seen or captured is high. We’re going extinct. Release me.”

“Anything else?” Kaiba asked, willing himself to remain composed. He was this close to shouting at the creature, and he couldn't risk another high-pitched scream. Mokuba was already frightened enough.

“Yes, many things,” Atem shivered and sat up straighter. “Ugly metal ships have been hovering in our hemisphere. They are as dangerous as they are annoying. They bring garbage with them. Tons and tons of garbage.”

“Then our agreement is this,” Kaiba declared triumphantly, his blue eyes gleaming handsomely, “My teams will rake up the garbage, and leave your hemisphere.”

If his ships were hovering near _“the hemisphere_ ” it meant he was close to the monster’s lair.

“Why would you do that?” Atem asked, narrowing his eyes suspiciously at the man. So the metal ships belonged to this vile human.  
He now had a face to match the crime.

“So that you will agree to live peacefully in a _comfortable_ enclosure…in my lab,” Kaiba finished, thinking he would release this half-fish eventually, but not until he got what he wanted.

Atem swallowed thickly, feeling his head spin with nausea and dread.

“For how long?” he whispered, wondering if he would be caged forever. “I miss my family.”

“Until you and I can come to an agreement of sorts,” Kaiba stated firmly, nodding. “You know what I want. Stones, information about the stones, or a way to get to where they are buried. You want freedom. Obviously.”

 _So obvious…_ Atem rolled his eyes angrily, thinking that this human was denser than rock. He had told him the stones were laid by sea demons. Had he not been listening?

“Well, I can’t give you any information if I’m half-dead and dying,” Atem replied coldly.

Kaiba nodded silently and pulled out his phone, speaking quietly into it while he slowly walked away from the creature, feeling weak all over.

Was he a terrible person for doing this to another living creature? Yes. But there was a hierarchy in this world that needed to be balanced.

This was just like any other business negotiation. If the mer-king wanted the ships removed from the water, he would do so willingly, and throw in a little ocean clean-up as an extended apology.  
In return, he expected answers that would help him bring about the next scientific and technological revolution.

Atem watched the human talk on the phone for a long while before he hung up and approached him again.

“I’ve ordered my ships to clean up the water surrounding your kingdom, and they will withdraw once they are done,” Kaiba said cleverly, seeing the merman’s eyes widen. “I will put you in similar enclosure in another location, and you will promise not to scream. You will tell me exactly what you need, and when you need it. Understood?”

“Ah…whatever,” Atem rolled his eyes and folded his arms across his chest, understanding that what this human feared was his scream. “I doubt you could keep me alive for a whole moon cycle. I’ve almost died twice now.”

“Whatever,” came the cold reply, and Kaiba went to stand by the elevator just to be extra cautious.

He now knew the merman’s intentions was to kill him for freedom, so he wasn’t about to make himself an easy target, especially when there was no glass separating them now.

“Where are you going?” Atem asked angrily, gazing around the glass-littered room and feeling his chest tighten with fear and anxiety. “Put me back in water.”

“How long until you shrivel up and die?” Kaiba replied tauntingly, mentally kicking himself at how cruel he sounded. “Tell me.”

“Twelve hours,” Atem growled, baring his fangs once more, thoroughly fed up with the handsome human’s debasing comments. “Approximately one of your days in light.”

“That’s more than enough time for me to set it up,” Kaiba said, frowning. “If you hadn’t ruined this enclosure, you wouldn’t be on the clock. Simple as that.”

“I hate you,” Atem replied venomously, and to his supreme annoyance, the human laughed heartily.

The elevator doors slid open behind him and Kaiba stepped aside unsteadily, nodding at his men while giving them quick orders.

“He’s dangerous. Restrain his arms and make sure he doesn’t bite you.” Kaiba eyed the gurney being wheeled in and he shot the merman a look over shoulder before adding, “It might be a poisonous. Do not let him draw blood.”

Atem blinked, thoroughly surprised.  
This human was sharp.  
How did he know his bite was poisonous?  
Did he know that his scratch was poisonous too?  
This human sounded as if he _did_ know of merpeople and was out to hunt them…right?  
That had to be it!  
The stones were just a guise, when the real intention was to find his kingdom and capture every single one of them!  
What would happen if he fought these men?  
Nothing good.

Kaiba watched his men circle Atem with mechanical precision, and to his surprise, the merman did not struggle while his arms were being strapped down onto the gurney.

Gritting his teeth and doing his best not to feel humiliated, Atem let the men lift him up onto a rolling bed, and he was wheeled past Seto Kaiba.

They rose upwards while crowded together in a tiny box, and one of the men glanced down at him with his eyes wide, raking his gaze down his body rudely.

“A mermaid,” the man said quietly, and his companions nodded stiffly in awkward silence. “Do you think it’s real?”

“Shut up,” his colleague replied coldly.

Atem jumped when he felt a hand on his hip, sliding intrusively down the side his fin, and he recoiled violently, horrified.

“Nobo-san...it feels just like a fish!” the man cried, and he was roughly shouldered aside by another man, hissing at him. “Do not touch it. He’ll fire you.”

 _Do not touch_ me _!_ Atem thought angrily, deciding to teach the man a lesson.

He gathered his saliva behind his teeth and raised his head, spitting on the man’s arm, watching with vicious glee as the acidity from his fluids ate through the man’s sleeve and singed his flesh.

A sour smell filled the tiny room, along with horrified yells of fear, and Atem grinned triumphantly, baring his teeth in a wicked smile as chaos erupted around him.

“It fucking hurts! Help!” the man cried, falling to his knees and gripping his arm gingerly while the other men around him cried out in surprise and shock. “It hurts! I’ve been burned! It’s going through my skin! I can see my bone!”

The clamor in the elevator grew more and more panicked, and Atem relished in their fear, wondering if he should spit on someone else.

“Do not break formation!” another man commanded from behind Atem’s head, and the room quieted instantly with nothing but the man’s ragged breaths.

The sliding doors opened, and Atem felt himself being wheeled forward, surprised to see the face of Seto Kaiba hovering somewhere to his left as they passed by in a blur.

“Sir! Eiji has been burned. He spit...”

Atem strained to hear what the man was reporting, but he was being lifted into another small room, and he heard doors slamming. This room had a shallow ceiling and an odd, familiar smell.

Oil.  
Ah…humans used this to move their machines, Atem knew this much.

Kaiba gazed at his bodyguard’s bloody arm in silent horror, his nausea rising to an all-time high as the smell of burned flesh invaded his nostrils, and the man whimpered pitifully.

“You’re fired,” Kaiba said plainly. “Go to a hospital.”  And he turned to address the head bodyguard once more, asking, “What happened? And don’t lie. I will pull security feeds after this.”

The bodyguard bowed stiffly, talking directly to the ground while bent in half.

“He touched the creature with one hand, right on the side while stating it felt like a fish. The creature looked offended, and after I shoved him aside, he was spit on, and the acid ate through his sleeve, sir.”

“Right,” Kaiba grit his teeth nervously. Another new fun fact. The merman had acidic saliva.

“Get in the car. Do not look or talk to it. Tell the driver to ease over bumps in the road. I will follow from behind.”

“Yes sir,” the man mumbled, and he climbed shakily into the limousine.

Atem heard the door open and close again, and the whole room seemed to shake as they began to move.

Terrified, Atem kept his gaze fixed on the low ceiling, listening to the men talking in low whispers around him.

“Eiji was fired, as expected.”

“Was the boss angry?”

“No, he seemed shaken and worried. We turn away from the creature and do not provoke it further.”

A deep chorus of “yes sirs’” followed this statement.

“Driver?”

“Sir!”

“Master Kaiba orders we drive gently. The creature is dangerous and can possibly understand us.”

 _I can understand you just fine…you creatures_ , Atem thought angrily, feeling his shoulders ache from being strapped down in this position. His skin was beginning to dry out terribly but he vowed he would retain his dignity until the very end.

“I’m living in a sci-fi,” one man mumbled to his left, and he was giving a hard nudge by his superior.

“Shut up.”

Silence blanketed the car once more, and the fearful tension was tangible in the air.

After what felt like an eternity, the car lurched to a stop and Atem found himself being lifted out and wheeled forwards.

He saw the sky fully for the first time in days and he inhaled deeply, staring at the few white wisps of clouds above their heads.

A shadow passed over him, and he saw the tips of a monstrous human shelter.  
  
They passed through a door, and Atem gazed up at the high ceilings of the home, marveling at the sparkling crystals hanging from above. They looked like clear raindrops suspended in mid-air, strung together in a breathtaking arrangement, lit with soft golden lights

It was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen.

 _I want one of those_ , Atem thought mildly, finally seeing something he could give Mahad for his birthday…if he would ever see him again.

The ceiling changed again, and he once again found himself in a tiny room with the men, and they slowly began to travel downwards.

 _Another deep chute_ , Atem thought nervously, wondering how high up or deep they were relative to the ocean.

The air here was dry, so they must be pretty far.

He was wheeled out of the small chute-room and the ceiling this time was low.

Atem heard Seto Kaiba’s voice echoing through the chamber. “Now leave, before he spits on any more of you.”

Shuffling footsteps pattered away frantically and Atem strained his neck, seeing no one.

“I’m going to unbuckle you,” Kaiba called, his blood running cold at the thought of the merman spitting in his face and ruining his good looks forever. “And then I will carry you into the enclosure. You will _not_ scratch, bite, or spit on me.”

“You’re going to unhook me,” Atem repeated dully, showing that he understood. “You will carry me into the cage, and I will do my best to refrain from hurting you.”

“Good,” Kaiba said gruffly, striding forward and slowly unbuckling the merman’s arms from the gurney restraints. He moved to the end, where the tail was still strapped in, and he felt the merman sit up slowly.

Atem watched apprehensively as pale hands unclipped the restraints from his tail, and he gave it a grateful wave, feeling stiff all over.

Before he could prepare himself, the human was at his side in a flash. Cold arms slid underneath his body, and lifted him up smoothly with surprising force.

His stomach tightened strangely while he was lowered gently into the water.

Pleased, Atem gazed around the enclosure, realizing his requests had been granted. This was a shallow pool, perfect for grazing, and it was deep enough so he could submerge himself completely from the shoulders down.  
  
The edge was made with a smooth beige stone, and two thin pipes lined against the inner walls were cycling the water.

Kaiba released the merman and backed away quickly, cursing the cold. His sleeves had been soaked through completely because he had forgotten to roll them up.

He quickly stripped off his blazer to wring it out. Salt water was fucking corrosive to the dye on his clothes.

Atem took deep, shaking breaths, feeling incredibly warm and relieved.  
This water wasn’t any plain shallow ocean water. In fact, this water smelled like home.

“I’ve managed to recreate the conditions of the water from which we pulled you out from,” Kaiba said anxiously, wondering if he had balanced everything correctly. “Tell me if something feels off. Immediately. You can press that button there.”

Atem followed Kaiba’s slender finger pointing at a solid grey button on the wall. Interesting….

He swiveled around and carefully inspected the room behind Seto Kaiba, taking it all in.  
There were no screens in this room. The walls were knitted together with a strange texture and a lone chair sat beside a wide table near the door.  
The rest was empty space.

Frowning, Atem turned back around to address Kaiba, and was shocked to discover that the man was suddenly shirtless.

He blinked rapidly, feeling his cheeks burn with curiosity. He was fit and toned…for a human, and his skin was ever so pale.

Looking away quickly, Atem couldn't help but think that Seto Kaiba looked familiar enough from the waist up.

 _I suppose that’s how he feels about me,_ Atem thought nervously, hearing the man clear his throat behind him, and he ignored it, dipping his head underneath the water quickly and taking several deep breaths.

His eyes watered dangerously, but Atem willed himself to keep it together.

The human had done well, recreating water from his home, but that did not make up for all the other terrible things being said and done here.

Kaiba waited patiently for the merman to resurface, and after a while, he did, rising magnificently from the pool with water dripping handsomely down his blonde spiky bangs.

“This will do,” Atem said plainly, examining his claws lazily, making sure to extend them several inches as he knew the human was watching him cautiously. “Now bring me some food.”

Kaiba bit his tongue lightly to keep himself from shouting back at the man.  
It was one demand after another.  
Keeping this pet had better be fucking worth it.

“What would you like to eat, your majesty?” Kaiba asked spitefully, and the merman threw him a surprised look.

“Oh, you’re being polite now all of a sudden?” Atem smiled gleefully, wondering if his spitting act had really earned him some respect. “Any fish will do. Any of your food will do. I haven’t had human food that I didn’t like.”

“Where the fuck would you get human food?” Kaiba asked, his mouth moving against his will, and he mentally kicked himself for sounding interested.

“Shipwrecks. Preserved rations survive in water quite well,” Atem answered thoughtfully, leaning against the edge, feeling sleepy. “People throw food over the sides on vacation ships sometimes. They enjoy littering.”

“You really are a fish,” Kaiba said, unable to help himself, and turned to leave, hearing a shout of laughter echo from behind him.

Gritting his teeth so tightly that his jaw ached, Kaiba swung his wet shirt and blazer over his shoulder before walking out of the basement.

Sighing, Atem stretched out in the shallow pool and dove down to the bottom, rapping his knuckles against the material, trying to figure out what it was.  
  
It was hard like stone, rough like stone, but unlike anything he had ever encountered. This was a man-made.

Atem quickly resurfaced and ran his palms along the edge of the enclosure, inspecting each tile carefully. This was…marble, perhaps. A type of dyed marble mixed with quartz.

Blinking rapidly, Atem dragged his nail down across it, seeing a light scratch left on the shiny surface. Well, he could easily break out of this shallow pool, but it had been made to his specifications. The human would be angry.

Feeling tears building dangerously behind his eyes, Atem willed himself not to cry.

This was fine. He was alive…for now.

Closing his eyes, Atem propped his head up in his hands and felt himself shake. Damn. Damn it.  
No. He had no energy to cry.

Too late.  
Atem blinked and felt a tear roll down his cheek, and he palmed it away furiously, hearing it splash into the water.

Ah, wait. He could use his tears as something to bargain with.

Taking deep even breaths, Atem let himself cry in earnest, making sure the tears fell atop the marble edge of the pool.

He gathered them into a small pile and waited for the human to return.  
  
This had better work.

Almost as if he had managed to summon the human with his thoughts, the door clicked, Kaiba entered the room, wheeling in a cartful of food.

He saw the merman sitting at the far back with his arms crossed regally across his chest, and he pushed the cart closer, calling out to him, “Here.”

Atem said nothing and watched the human push the food right up to the pool’s edge and take a step closer, bending down to inspect his tears.

Kaiba blinked rapidly, wondering if his eyes were playing tricks on him.

It was a pile of precious gems.  
  
Clean and clear-cut rubies, sapphires, diamonds, and emeralds, all glittered up at him, each in various sizes, all rounded at the edges.

“What the fuck is this?” Kaiba cried, taking a step back and feeling faint. “Did you take a shit?”

Atem’s mouth dropped open and he found himself at a loss for words.

Was this human a blind idiot? Those were precious gemstones! They had the highest clarity out of all the four kingdoms that surrounded them!  
Only a pureblood, and true royal could cry tears of such beauty.

“Y-You think, that I took… _a shit_?” Atem whispered hoarsely, feeling another laugh clawing its way up his chest, and it was making every breath painful. “You think that…this is what my _shit_ looks like? Tell me human—”

“No, I know you shit in the water.” Kaiba grinned boyishly, and he swore he saw the merman redden with embarrassment. “That’s why you need me to cycle it every hour or so. You can’t control it?”

Atem did not dignify that with an answer. Of course he could control his bowels, but he had been left in the same water for so long, he had no other choice.

“Right, so…” Kaiba tilted his head to the side curiously and Atem blinked rapidly, instantly reminded of the child Mokuba. “How did you make these?”

“Those are my tears,” Atem replied through gritted teeth, his cheeks burning hotter with a strange fire. This human had a way with his words that could somehow make him warm all over.

“Very cool,” Kaiba commented, sounding completely detatched, and Atem was unable to hide his shock. “I’m more interested in _how_ you managed to do this. What am I supposed to do with these?”

“They are…for you.” Atem managed tightly, hating himself for even saying it in a way that sounded marginally polite. “As payment, and thanks. For the food, and for keeping me alive.”

“Sure…” Kaiba said, sounding distant. He scooped the gems up and pocketed them quickly, feeling quite odd.

It was a strange but welcome offering from the merman.

“What!” Atem snapped defensively, unhappy with the human’s ungrateful reaction. “Are they not to your liking? Not big enough for you?”

“No,” Kaiba answered mildly, slipping his phone out and deciding he would call a jeweler after all. “This is going to pay for that arm.”

“What arm?” Atem cried, wondering if they were speaking two different languages.

“The arm you spat on!” came the furious reply, and Atem watched Kaiba storm out of the room and slam the door behind him with an echoing bang.

“Ah, that arm,” Atem said to himself, nodding with satisfaction.  
Human flesh was so weak.  
That man deserved it for pawing at him in the first place.

He eyed the cart filled to the brim with gleaming slices of fish, and his mouth began to water.

Finally, food!  
He was going to enjoy this meal immensely.

* * *

**Author’s note:**  
  
Kaiba is low-key scared of Atem’s acidic spit. Cheeky little Mokuba has a run-in with the “ocean fairy” and Atem cries tears of precious gems.

Ugli is trying this new thing. Can you guys tell what it is? :D (its more dialogue lol) I have to admit, dialogue has always been my weak point. This story is my focus to improve that. How am I doing?

Edited by: setokaibaes

xo  
Ugli


	4. I can't take back

Kaiba entered the basement cautiously, weighing the crown in his hand. He knew that giving this back to the merman would put them on good, solid terms, so it was worth it.

He had had it appraised by a jeweler who had come to his home with all his tools, and declared the value of it to be several million yen.

Also, because it looked like an ancient artifact, the value would only go higher once historians put their bids in, and it took a lot of dexterity to dodge the jeweler’s questions.

Atem was asleep, but he heard the door close and ignored it, choosing to stay underwater.

His stomach was pleasantly full and this was the best sleep he had had since his capture.

“Hey!”

Seto Kaiba was calling him from above and Atem continued to ignore him.

Swallowing nervously, Kaiba realized he didn’t know the merman’s name.

Crap.

Sighing, he walked over to the chair and sat down, making sure to stay several feet away from the edge. If the merman emerged and decided to spit at him…. Kaiba shook his head and propped his head up on the table, closing his eyes and deciding to take a nap.

Atem slowly rose to the surface, making sure to be as quiet as possible. He eyed the businessman, keeping his face beneath the water and inching closer to the edge.

His crown was sitting on the table, right beside the sleeping man’s arm, and as promised, all its jewels were intact. It had not been touched at all.

 _A man of his word_ , Atem thought appreciatively.

He jumped when the man spoke suddenly, with his eyes still closed. “Hey, fish, what’s your name?”

“Fish?” Atem raged, curling his fists at his sides, his cheeks burning. “Call me by my name. I am Atem.”

“Okay, Atem,” Kaiba said simply, feeling his tongue twist pleasantly around the foreign syllables. He stood quickly and held the crown out to the merman, seeing his own arm shaking slightly.

“I won’t hurt you, so you can bring it here,” the merman said loftily, smirking evilly at him. “But call me fish one more damn time, Seto Kaiba, and you’ll need a new arm, just like that other man.”

Kaiba nodded silently and moved closer. The merman snatched the crown from his hands and readily swam away, placing it in the far corner of the pool, out of reach.

Sighing, Kaiba rubbed his aching neck, his eye catching on another pile of sparkling gems gathered in a small pile at the edge.

“More offerings?” Kaiba asked tiredly, and he received a tight nod from the merman.

Atem narrowed his eyes at the human. Was it not clear that he was hurting and missing his family?

“Stop giving them to me,” Kaiba said coldly, rising to his feet and moving to sit back in the plastic chair.

There was a long awkward silence before the merman spoke up first.

“You’re the first human I’ve encountered who would refuse these gifts.”

“Yeah, well…” Kaiba crossed his legs tightly, giving the merman a quick glance. “They’re gems without a serial number, but very clean. I’m not about to be accused for trafficking gems.”

Atem blinked rapidly, not understanding a word.

“Nevermind,” Kaiba growled, rolling his eyes. The barrage of questions from the jeweler had reminded him to be cautious about accepting gifts that came out of a fantasy creature.

“You either explain, or you don’t speak at all,” Atem hissed in response, moving closer to the edge and feeling anger spike quickly inside of him. This man was as infuriating as he was handsome!

“Oh my god.” Kaiba palmed his face in exasperation. “Humans…we tag our jewels with numbers. Unnumbered jewels are either fake, or stolen—”

“I understand.” The merman cut across him rudely. “Your species is so greedy, you must mark every gem with a number so one can claim it.”

Kaiba stared at the merman for a long moment before giving him a tight nod. Sure, sure whatever. This thing could understand it in his own way.

“Right, I’m here to ask how you produce the gems in your tears,” Kaiba said stiffly, curling his fingers over his knee, and he saw the merman’s eyes widen at him.

“I cry,” Atem replied stupidly, wondering if the human ever listened to anything he said.

“Yes, but what is _in_ your tears?” Kaiba asked earnestly, leaning forward in his chair. To his dismay, the merman backed away, glaring.

“I don’t know, and you’re not going to slice open my face to find out.”

“I’m not going to do that,” Kaiba said quickly, his cheeks reddening with a mixture of rage and embarrassment at the suggestion. Did this merman think he was a monster?

He gazed at the food cart, seeing neatly stacked plates with not a speck of food left behind.

“How did it taste?” Kaiba asked gently, wondering if anything would be considered poisonous to the merman.

“All of it was delicious,” came the confident reply, and Kaiba watched the merman swim closer to the edge, looking friendlier. “I enjoyed the varieties of fish eggs you had on the side.”

“You have expensive tastes,” Kaiba said tersely, thinking of course the mermaid king would love eating all the caviar he had in his private stash.

“Well, I would like more.” Atem smiled thinly, glancing at the human before quickly looking away, feeling his cheeks burn with a strange fire again. “Thank you.”

Kaiba heard the hostile tone diminishing, and he jumped at the chance to ask, “Can you control the acidity of your saliva?”

Atem blinked rapidly and narrowed his eyes, sinking lower in the water for warmth, wondering if he should answer this question.  
It seemed Seto Kaiba had come in to interrogate him on his bodily functions.

“Why do you want to know?” Atem shot back, and to his surprise, Kaiba had a simple answer prepared.

“I’m interested,” Kaiba replied, folding his hands together in his lap, gazing deeply into the merman’s angular violet eyes, his heart fluttering with nervousness.  
This man’s eyes were the most beautiful shade of deep violet.

Inhuman, eerie, and beautiful.

“I see.” Atem narrowed his eyes at the human, trying to read his aura. It seemed genuine enough, so he decided to answer with, “Yes, I can.”

“Yes, _how_?” Kaiba pressed, leaning forward in his chair, his blue eyes bright with curiosity.

Atem kept his guard up, waiting a heartbeat before answering, “I will it.”

There was another long, tense silence before Kaiba nodded, still unsatisfied with the answer.

He was itching to touch the merman’s scales and skin, and possibly take a swab of his saliva, but he didn’t know how to get close without being attacked.

Baby steps.

First, he had to gain the creature’s trust—

“You want to touch me,” Atem said nastily, catching a steady stream of thought from the man, and he saw Kaiba stiffen visibly with fear. “And you want to take something called a ‘swab’, which I assume is a part of me. I’ll give it to you, if you bring me two meals a day.”

Kaiba felt his eyelid twitch and he remained glued to his seat with shock.  
The creature could read his mind.

“Only sometimes, and only when you’re feeling vulnerable,” Atem said thoughtfully, giving the water a playful flick before adding, “Like now.”

 Weak all over, Kaiba began to grow numb.  
Holy…shit.

He had been right to keep Mokuba away.

“Your next of kin, Mokuba,” Atem jeered, leaning over the edge of the water, growing more and more confident with each passing thought. “Cute kid. He gives tidepool demons a good reputation.”

Unable to draw his next breath, Kaiba watched Atem lean his head teasingly along the edge of the pool, his beautiful hair spilling over the side.

“I’ll tell you what I know, human who deals in business and money,” Atem said calmly, holding his hand up and showing the man he could retract his claws to make his hands look as human as possible.

Kaiba bit the inside of his lip so hard, he tasted blood. Before his very eyes, he had watched the claws shrink into the fingers that rounded at the tips.  
What the fuck….

“I know that you are scared of me.” Atem pressed his chin down atop of his arms and yawned languidly. “Even before you saw me, from the very beginning you were frightened of me. You didn’t want anything alive to be in the container. I know. I heard your thoughts.”

Kaiba grit his teeth, his face heating up with fury and humiliation.

“True!” Atem let out a deep laugh that echoed pleasantly around the room, and Kaiba felt his skin crawl. “You are a proud man…and…”

 _And what?_ Kaiba growled silently, hating the fact that this had turned into an open-session of fortune telling, where this merman picked apart his thoughts and personality, making him feel emotionally defenseless.

“You put up good fight because you’re strong-willed,” Atem contemplated, twirling a strand of his blonde hair in his fingers, feeling his hand burn from the intensity of Kaiba’s eyes following his movements.

“Damn right I am,” Kaiba said, and he watched the merman throw his head back and laugh beautifully again.

Enchanted and unable to help himself, Kaiba stared at his slender, tanned neck.

“How fun,” Atem smiled impishly and gave the businessman one last apprising look before he heaved himself out of the water and sat enticingly along the edge.

This human wanted to play!

Well, this would be an interesting change of pace.  
Perhaps if he got the human to love him, his freedom was closer than he’d originally thought.

Kaiba’s mouth steadily grew drier while he watched the merman spread out on the bevel of the shallow pool. His muscles were well-defined and his tanned skin seemed to glow under the low lights.

The sheen in his tail was the most fascinating. It would shift between red and gold every time he moved, and the tips of the tail were sharp and delicate.

“It’s been a while since I’ve played with a human,” Atem said smoothly, feeling a small twinge of doubt.  
  
This man would be his first human frolic.  
Was this acceptable?  
  
It was forbidden and punishable by death if he, a royal, was caught playing with a human. But there was no one to see them here, and the circumstances were dire.  
His freedom depended on it.  
Besides, this human was pretty.  
There was no harm in trying.

Finally, Kaiba found his voice, and he couldn’t speak in a volume higher than a whisper. “What do you mean by play?”

“In all senses of the word,” Atem replied calmly, but his heart was pounding so thickly inside his chest, it became a low hum. This human, Seto Kaiba, was a curious one. His actions were not inherently cruel, but just in case a ‘swab’ was something hostile, he decided to ask.

“But you will have to tell me what a ‘swab’ is,” Atem said deeply, and he watched Kaiba smile prettily and let out a nervous laugh.

“I take a sample of your saliva in a plastic tube, and I get to keep it.”

Atem nodded, feeling more at ease now than ever before. He had suspected as much.

Kaiba noticed the nod and his spirits soared. A nod meant that he _could_ take a swab.  
  
Kaiba stared at the merman’s bare chest for a long moment before he rose to his feet to hurry out of the room, slamming the door behind him.

Startled, Atem frowned. He hadn’t managed to catch the last thread of thought from Kaiba’s mind before he ran.

 _Perhaps he’s scared, as he should be_ , Atem mused, lying back on the cool stone and staring up at the dark ceiling, wishing he could see the sky.  
The plan had changed. He would now indulge the human as much as possible, and when the human was satisfied, he would be released.

Human life spans were short, so Atem figured he would be freed within the next fifty years, give or take.

* * *

Kaiba leaned heavily against the door, willing his heart to calm down.  
  
He was sweating profusely, lightheaded, and slightly aroused.  
Holy fucking shit.  
He was being propositioned and…mind-raped.  
  
Was the merman…advancing on him? Hitting on him? Trying to control his actions?

Offering to _play._

_“In all senses of the word.”_

_Meaning sex!_ Kaiba thought, horrified, and he sank slowly to the floor in a sitting position. Was he curious about it? S-Sure, but he was more interested in the how, and not the why.

But how could he find out the way mer-people had sex with humans? The mermaid king sure didn’t seem like he would willingly offer sex with another human, which probably meant….

 _It’s a trap,_ Kaiba thought shakily, clasping his hands together and closing his eyes tightly. The merman would catch him off guard then slit his throat. Mokuba would come down and find his bloody body floating in a saltwater pool.

Atem tilted his head, hearing a steady stream of thoughts from the human entering his consciousness, and he suppressed a huff of amusement.  
This man was also distrustful it seemed.

 _The worst and most difficult kind of human to fool_ , Atem thought angrily, giving his tail an annoyed flick.

So Seto Kaiba would not immediately take him up on the offer. What would he do now?

 _I’ll be here until the end of time, until the end of his time_ , Atem growled furiously to himself.

After a few short moments, the door swung open again, and Kaiba appeared with a steel briefcase.

Amused, Atem smiled warmly at the human, having changed his tune completely. A pretty human who was mildly frightened of him was better than a pretty human who was cruel and unforgiving.

“We are not going to play,” Kaiba said firmly, holding up the bags. “Samples of everything from your body right now.”

“Take your time,” Atem said mildly, deciding to tuck his hands behind his head and lay back down on the marble bevel. “You can do what you want.”

Grinding his teeth, Kaiba set the briefcase down by his feet and flipped it open, revealing rows of empty glass tubes.

  
“Open your mouth,” Kaiba said carefully, approaching the merman with a cotton swab, and the merman obediently opened his mouth wide, showing off a gleaming row of perfectly human teeth.  
  
He hastily stuck the swab into his cheek and sealed it into the tube, his hands shaking terribly.

He snatched up another tube and saw Atem’s eyes twinkle playfully at him.

“Venom, from your fangs,” Kaiba managed a stiff smile, and the tube was snatched out of his hand. He watched with increasing fascination at the way Atem managed to fit the top fang in through the rim the tube with precision, and a thick, yellow liquid filled it quickly.

Amazing. Simply amazing. In addition to being half-fish, this man was also part snake.

“You think I’m a snake?” Atem asked mildly, listening to the pleasant clinking of tubes coming from the steel box. “I’ll show you a snake….”

“I didn’t say that,” Kaiba responded gruffly, holding up another empty tube and almost dropping it when he saw that an appendage had magically grown from a slit in the merman’s fin, several inches beneath his navel.

It was the same color as the tail, but it was odd, slimy…almost tentacle-like but instead of suction pads, there were a series of odd ridges running up and down along its length.

Kaiba sat down hard, and felt his tailbone chafe painfully.  
Uh…what the fuck was that?! A worm? A snake?!  
An organism that grew out of the merman’s tail?  
An organism that lived off of the merman’s sustenance?  
Was that why this man needed so many different nutrients in his water?  
  
Or was that his…penis……

“What?” Atem asked, frowning deeper as he tried to continue deciphering Kaiba’s thoughts, which had begun to jumble together incoherently.

“Your pet snake,” Kaiba said evenly after finally managing to find his voice, and he couldn't properly draw his next breath.

Atem blinked and wondered if he ought to laugh, his body burning with humiliation. Somehow…again, this human made him feel this way.

“My pet sn—indeed,” Atem replied, his voice shaking with mirth. “Would you like to pet him?”  
This human was truly dense! Was he doing it on purpose?  
  
Kaiba gripped the glass tube so hard, he felt it almost shatter in his grasp.  
It _was_ his penis.  
This had taken a strange turn.  
And the merman was making fun of him.  
  
“I see, that is the word for it,” Atem smiled sweetly, wondering if he had scared the human sufficiently enough. “Is it true that you humans like to give it a name?”

Completely at a loss for words, Kaiba shakily replaced the empty tube back into the briefcase and stared a blank space on the ground until his eyes began to water.  
  
Incredible.  
A male merman was propositioning him.  
Hell…fucking no.  
He wasn’t gay, at least he didn’t think so.

…But how could he say ‘no’ for an opportunity to take to a sample of a mythical creature’s semen?

“You want a sample of…what?” Atem asked shrewdly, losing his patience as his arousal began to fade into disappointment. “I thought you wanted to play. It seems you are cowardly after all.”

Kaiba blinked rapidly, wondering if he ought to take the bait. The merman sounded impatient and angry.

“Show me how you touch it then,” Kaiba said headily, turning slowly to face Atem, and he crossed his legs firmly, feeling the wetness from the ground soaking in through the bottom of his trousers.

Atem blinked once and nodded slowly, curling his fingers around his own shaft. He gave himself a steady stroke upwards, enjoying a warm jolt of pleasure traveling up through his stomach, understanding that Kaiba needed some guidance.

Kaiba felt his head spin violently as he watched Atem’s fingers stroke the odd-looking tentacle, his knuckles whitening over the shaft which had begun to stand up and look somewhat erect.

Was it…not going to stay erect?  
Deeply aroused and intrigued, Kaiba continued to watch, noticing that the tip would flick this way and that after a particularly pleasurable stroke upwards, and he swallowed thickly, shifting uncomfortably while his back was drenched in nervous sweat.

Oh…man. This was fucking weird!

“Let go of it,” Kaiba said quietly, his curiosity rising to an all-time high, and his stomach tightened strangely when the merman threw him a playful smirk and released his shaft slowly.

He watched in amazement as the tentacle curled over Atem’s thumb almost longingly before the hand was withdrawn, and Kaiba felt a strange pressure in his groin when he had a sudden image of the length inside his mouth.

The tip was pointed almost like a tongue, and if he ignored the fact that it was coming out a gigantic merman’s tail, and only focused his gaze on the merman from the torso up…would it be like sucking on a giant tongue?

No longer able to string together a coherent thought, Kaiba reached for it and almost recoiled when the tentacle seemed to reciprocate and stretch towards his hand eagerly.

“Stop that! Are you doing that?” Kaiba cried, shrinking his hand away quickly, his heart thudding painfully in his throat as Atem let out another deep laugh.

“No…only sometimes,” Atem replied excitedly, pleased with the human’s reactions. They were so interesting!  
He could see why playing with a human was something mer-people enjoyed. The mere reaction was worth it.

Taking a deep shaking breath, Kaiba reached for it again and saw it straining toward his hand once more. Oh god…gross….!

A human penis was strange enough, but this thing….!

Kaiba reminded himself to shut up because the creature could read his mind, and he bravely wrapped his fingers around the length, expecting it to be cold, but it was warm.

To his utmost horror, the tentacle jumped excitedly up in his hand, and Atem’s chest heaved with excitement as he threw his head back, enjoying the foreign sensation of heat consuming his body.

“Oh my...g—holy…s—,” Unable to properly talk, Kaiba kept his hand outstretched over the tentacle and splayed his fingers out, watching it writhe excitedly around his palm in a mesmerizing dance, slipping in and out through the gaps of his fingers, almost as if it _was_ a tongue, licking his hand, waiting for it to grasp onto it tightly.

Letting his breath out slowly, Kaiba gave it a firm grip and a few rough strokes upwards, seeing the merman’s tail convulse suddenly while Atem let out a shuddering gasp. “Too much…don’t!”

Slowing his motions down, Kaiba ran his hand up and down along the full length, fascinated with how it self-lubricated at the base and extended fully when he pulled it upwards. The more he thought about it, the more it _was_ just like a giant tongue.

His dick leaked wetly in his underwear, startling him greatly, and Kaiba froze, realizing that he was aroused by this…by some strange miracle, or curse.

He gave Atem a nervous stare, seeing the merman’s eyes half-lidded with lust and his mouth parted excitedly.

A kiss with that acidic saliva would probably kill him, but kissing this thing down here probably wouldn’t kill him.

“Stop thinking about that,” Atem commanded, breathing heavily and deeply excited. “I’ve decided I won’t kill you. You’re too entertaining for that.”

Kaiba was only half-listening. His ears were ringing with a strange noise and something possessed him to lean his head down to give the pink tip a quick sniff.  
  
It was an oddly fresh scent, reminiscent of an ocean spray mixed in with something…unique.

Atem gasped and almost recoiled, drawing his tail up to his chest. Was the human going to bite him there?! It wasn’t for eating!

“Stop,” Kaiba mumbled, now fully intending on sucking the merman off. “I’m going to lick it.”

Horrified, Atem shook his head frantically, thoroughly regretting everything now.

 The human pushed the middle of his tail down with surprising force, causing him to lay flat, and before Atem could compose himself or protest again, a hot, pleasurable warmth consumed him steadily, and he glanced down at himself breathlessly, unable to tear his gaze away from the strange sight.

The human had captured his length inside his mouth and was sucking powerfully, sending more violent jolts of pleasure running up and down his spine, and Atem let out a frantic gasp as wave after wave of alien sensations washed over him.

Meanwhile, Kaiba was conflicted, half-enjoying the way Atem’s penis moved freely inside him like a tongue swirling happily against the roof of his mouth, and half-regretting ever putting his mouth on the wriggling length, because the taste was extremely salty, and it was so thick, his jaw was aching.

The tip of the tentacle snaked upwards naughtily, almost as if teasing him, testing him, challenging him to take it deeper into his mouth, so he did, pressing his palms down on either side of the merman’s scaly hips and letting the tentacle dick shoot upwards repeatedly past his own tongue and pleasurably hit the back of his throat with surprising strength.  
Oh…holy fuck.  
What if this thing moved like this while it was inside of him?  
Or even…on his own penis, while Atem thrust his hips upwards?

The rigorous up and down motions of the tentacle inside his mouth was already lewd enough, causing his stomach to churn with a mixture of ecstasy and arousal. His pants were uncomfortably tight, and Kaiba wished he could touch himself while this odd penis fucked him in the mouth, but he held back.

Atem’s vision was swimming dangerously in and out of focus as the human’s mouth would not let up. Sometimes, there would be a powerful suck, sending an enormous stream of heat down to the very tips of his fins, and other times the light bobbing of Kaiba’s head sent tingles down his fingertips.  
Amazing. Never in all of his life had Atem ever felt such intense pleasure.  
Humans were filthy creatures because of their knowledge of this act.  
  
Unable to hold out any longer, Atem gave in to the repeated swirls and strokes of heat and let out a shuddering sigh, releasing thickly into Kaiba’s mouth.

“Shit!” Kaiba jerked his head up frantically and dove for his briefcase, snatching a glass tube with a slippery hand and managing to scoop a residual glob of semen into it.

Shaking with adrenaline, he gazed at the wet and sticky mess covering Atem’s tanned torso, actively avoiding looking at the wriggling tentacle still jumping excitedly upwards from his groin.

Kaiba lips dryly, tasting nothing but the strange tang mixed in with salt.  
  
He was glad the color of semen was also white, but…was the sample contaminated with his own saliva?

Sitting back on his heels, Kaiba forced himself to calm down, willing his boner away. That had been fucking weird, and he had possibly crossed a line.

Atem let out a contented sigh and glanced down at himself curiously, his heart still racing madly inside his chest, his body still shaking with threads of residual pleasure.

That had been…too short, and too intense.

“...Again?” Atem ventured weakly, hearing his own voice shake. He was beginning to understand now why playing with humans was explicitly forbidden.  
He never wanted to even think about another mermaid ever again!  
If a human’s mouth felt this good…it meant that other parts of their body might feel even more amazing, indescribable even!

“Again?!” Kaiba gasped. The slime had not yet dried off his own hands, and he wondered if he ought to wipe it on his own pants, or wash it off in the pool. Was the semen acidic too?

“Yes, it was quite good. Again,” Atem said simply, giving the human a smile, feeling newfound appreciation for Seto Kaiba.

“Right-right now…?” Kaiba blinked, deeply shaken, and the merman nodded his spiky head firmly with another playful smile.

“You don’t want to?” Atem tilted his head at Kaiba, gazing hopefully into his clear blue eyes, feeling his heart skip several excited beats inside his chest.

There was a long silence.

 Kaiba slowly reached to snap his briefcase shut before rising to his feet unsteadily.  
  
He stumbled to the exit, ignoring Atem’s calls echoing from behind him.

“Human…come back! Are you tired? Or is it true that you can only go once?”

Kaiba slammed the door behind himself and leaned against it heavily, his breathing ragged.  
  
Holy fuck.

His dick hurt from staying resolutely hard inside his pants, and Kaiba cursed himself darkly.  
Was he seriously going to jerk himself off after doing that?

He had just mindlessly sucked on the merman’s tongue-penis.  
….  
And it had felt good.  
  
It had felt really good.

The thought of how Atem’s tongue had danced erotically inside his mouth was enough to make him cum, and grit Kaiba his teeth, curling his knees to his chest, rocking back and forth steadily, riding out his low orgasm.

And that was another first.  
He had somehow managed to cum inside his own pants without a stroking touch, and with just pure thought.

 _Maybe I’ve been possessed,_ Kaiba thought glumly, his mind humming with a strange haze he recognized as lust.

But a tiny voice in the back of his mind told him that he had done everything of his own accord, because he had _wanted_ to lick the merman’s strange dick.

Slowly rising to his feet, Kaiba left the briefcase on the floor and made his way to the elevator, deciding to take a cold shower.  
  
Inside the room, Atem slid back into the water smoothly and floated blissfully on his back, his mind wonderfully clear, his body strangely light.

That was something he could do all day and all night. It was understandable why many a mermaid would run off with a human man who could give them that kind of pleasure, but mating with humans would ultimately lead to their extinction.

 _I’m in trouble_ , Atem thought guiltily, throwing a hand over his forehead, feeling himself grow aroused again.

At this rate, he wasn’t sure how many times he needed to copulate with the human before he felt completely satisfied.

Something that had been a teasing hunch had turned into a serious pleasure session, and Atem’s mind kept wandering back to the way Seto Kaiba kept his mouth clamped tightly over his entire length.

Shaking his head firmly, he forced the image out of his mind and flipped over onto his stomach, staring down at the white floor at the bottom of the pool.

One thing was for certain. Seto Kaiba was an amazing human in more ways than one.

* * *

**Author’s note:**  
  
Kaiba grapples with his sexuality and then feels horrified at what he did.  
Atem is literally just so happy and horny, he just wants to go again and again.  
The forbidden fruit is always the tastiest.  
Might as well make the most of your imprisonment, right?

edited by: setokaibaes

and also

**thanks for submitting a complaint against me! on my birthday! on an update day! you sure know me well!**

the one you should've striked was the one-shot collection, but you wanna pick Starving Artist. (And chapter ONE too, where there is nothing linked. no fan art, not even a tumblr. early chapters of my fics dont have links.)

Why? Please just leave me alone.

If you spent more time on yourself/your own fics instead of policing mine, we could have something wonderful to share with the fandom.

\--Ugli


	5. I want to make amends

Kaiba tossed and turned in his bed, restless and anxious.

Beneath him, in the basement of his house, was a merman living in a pool.

A merman who had extended a tentacle-like penis out to him and he had willingly reciprocated.

Horrified with himself, Kaiba pressed his face deeper into his pillow and held his breath, willing for sleep to come. He flipped over onto his back and gazed up at the ceiling, wide awake.

His mind kept drifting back to the merman’s haunting angular eyes, and he sat up slowly, pushing the covers off himself, deciding to check on the creature.

There were too many questions spinning in his mind. He wouldn’t waste his time trying to sleep.

Sweeping his laptop off from his desk, he tucked it under his arm and quietly exited the room, spotting a sliver of light coming from underneath the crack in the door from Mokuba’s room.

Kaiba paused mid-step and walked towards it to knock gently.

There was no answer, so he gently eased the door open, peering in and seeing a sudden movement in the sheets.

Mokuba pulled the covers over his head and shoved his phone back under his pillow before closing his eyes tightly.

“Mokuba?” Kaiba said quietly, edging into the room and sitting down against the edge of his little brother’s bed. “Can’t sleep? Nightmares?”

Mokuba grit his teeth and sat up slowly, his body feeling unnaturally heavy with exhaustion. It wasn’t just nightmares.

“Where is the mermaid?” Mokuba asked tentatively, and he gazed up into his older brother’s unreadable expression in the semi-darkness, feeling a cold hand give his shoulder a squeeze.

“He’s safe,” Kaiba replied, wondering if that was really the case. People hunted for mythical creatures and sold proof of them off for hundreds of millions. The merman was not safe on land.

“What if he screams right now?” Mokuba whispered fearfully, his stomach churning with nausea. “And he said he was dying! that true? Are you trying to save him?”

“I’ve soundproofed the room,” Kaiba said warmly, giving his brother another reassuring squeeze. “So his scream won’t hurt us.”

And it was then that Kaiba decided he would not tell Mokuba about the merman’s acidic saliva and venomous fangs.

He pulled his brother into a tight hug and rested his chin atop Mokuba’s soft black hair, answering truthfully. “I put him in more water, gave him more space, and he’s eaten, so he’s doing fine. He did say something about garbage contaminating his home, so we’re working on cleaning that up.”

“And then you’ll put him back, right?” Mokuba asked shrilly, hugging his brother back with vigor. “After all the garbage has been cleared?”

 “Yeah, I will kiddo. Sleep tight, okay?” Kaiba said gruffly, moving to tuck his brother in.

Mokuba wiggled himself down under the sheets obediently, gazing adoringly up at his older brother. “G’night Seto. I love you.”

“Good night Mokuba. Love you too,” Kaiba replied, bending down to give Mokuba a swift kiss on his forehead before straightening up quickly and walking out of the room, making sure to close the door quietly behind him.

 Sighing, he hurried down the grand staircase, doing his best to suppress the odd swooping feeling in his stomach.

Were mermen known to be sexual creatures?

Maybe he ought to consult a professor of mythology tomorrow, because he didn’t know jack shit about mermaids.

He placed his hand against the elevator scanner and stepped inside after the doors slid open, willing his pounding heart to calm down.

Atem pricked his ears up.

There were footsteps coming from beyond the door, so he rose out of the water quickly, swimming to the edge to lean his head against the marble.

The human was back for more playtime!

 _So it is true. They can only go once,_ Atem mused, fanning his tail lazily in the water behind himself, enjoying the cool sensations of freshly cycled water coming from the pipes.

The door swung open and the human walked in, dressed in more simple clothing.  
  
Appreciating the change, Atem raised his hand out of the water in a friendly wave, “Come here! You’re back. Did you recover?”

Kaiba set his laptop down on the table at the far end of the room and pulled the chair out, wondering what the merman meant by ‘recover’. Sleep? Because he hadn’t slept a wink since that incident.

“Right!” Atem clapped his hands together in a sudden revelation. “You humans need to sleep. For five hours, was it?”

“Five or more,” Kaiba replied tersely, flipping the laptop open and pulling up a chart. He hovered his hands over the keyboard.  
Where he should start? How about with the mind reading?

“How can you read my thoughts?” Kaiba asked, making a new section and wondering if he ought to title it something ridiculous like ‘mind control’.

Atem tilted his head to the side curiously, staring intently at the human’s sharp cheekbones and feeling his stomach churn excitedly with lust.  
The human was pretty enough that one look at his face could make him go into heat.  
  
In all his years of observing humans, had he ever seen a female prettier than this man?  
  
“What?” Atem asked absently, twirling a strand of his blonde hair between his fingers, lost in his own thoughts.  
If he _had_ seen a female human before, she didn’t stand out in his memory, because this man was prettier by far.

“You’re not listening,” Kaiba said impatiently, tapping his fingers against the bevel of his laptop. “How do you read minds?”

“I don’t read anything,” Atem replied indignantly, folding his arms across his chest and contemplating sitting on the edge again. “Your thoughts just spill out and I hear them. Like I said before, you are strong-willed.”

“Unhelpful,” Kaiba snapped, typing the answer out and moving to his next question. “Do you sleep?”

“When I’m tired.” Atem replied shortly, understanding that this was another interrogation session. “What will you give me for answering these questions?”

Kaiba paused, feeling his eyelid twitch in annoyance. “What do you want?”

“Well, if you recall earlier, I requested two meals a day,” Atem said quickly, flashing the human a charming smile. “But I’ve changed my mind. I want pleasure.”  
  
Kaiba blinked so rapidly, his vision turned green.  
What exactly did he mean by that?! Did he even want to know?

“You know what I mean,” Atem replied haughtily, slowly sliding one armband off of his toned arm and setting it on the edge with a soft clink. “The actions we did earlier. I want that in place of a meal.”

Kaiba grit his teeth and was at a loss for words.  
Unreal.  
  
“You are the most contradictory human I’ve ever met,” Atem declared, thinking he hadn’t met enough humans to make this statement, but he continued. “Your aura is similar to mine. Did you know that?”

“I don’t know what that means,” Kaiba said dully, pleased for the sudden change of topic, so he pressed on with more questions. “How many people are in your kingdom? Do you have an...economy?”

Atem narrowed his eyes at Kaiba, beginning to grow impatient. He would not tell this human anything about his home.

Kaiba gazed expectantly at the merman, doing his best not to continuously stare at his bare chest, but his eyes kept slipping down to his nipples. They were perky, round, and sitting only a few inches above the water, shining with wetness.

“Ask another question,” Atem suggested coyly, slowly rising out of the water and moving to sit at the edge, leaving his tail in the water and making sure to keep his back turned.

He had caught the human staring at his chest, so if the human wanted to look at his chest, he’d have to work for it.

Kaiba continued to stare at the merman’s bare back before looking away quickly, his cheeks growing warm.  
Damn.  
Why was he feeling so pent up right now?  
He knew why.  
It was because he couldn't stop thinking about the merman’s eyes…lips, and hair.

“Human? Human…” Atem called lazily, wringing the water out of his hair and giving his bangs a light shake. “Seto Kaiba!”

Kaiba snapped out of his thoughts and jerked his head up, gazing fearfully at the merman, wondering if he had been found out.

“Come here,” Atem said sweetly, patting the spot beside him and giving the businessman a warm smile. “Sit with me.”

Kaiba shook his head tightly and curled his fingers into his palms, watching the merman throw him a lustful look.

“ _Please_ come here,” Atem commanded, staring daggers into the human’s eyes and wondering why he was being so reluctant. “I’ll show you something else about me that I know you’ll like.”

“You can show me while I sit here,” came the cold reply, and Atem grit his teeth in frustration. A new tactic was required.

“ _You_ show me something then,” Atem challenged, raking his gaze up and down along the Kaiba’s slender form. “Go on. I’m waiting.”

“You’ve never seen a naked human before?” Kaiba asked nervously, wondering why he was indulging this tangent. This was dangerous territory.

“Of course I have,” Atem replied calmly, sliding off the golden band from his other arm.

A long time ago, he had seen a human couple making love on a beach, and he grew warm at the thought of the human’s legs wrapped around his waist.

He shot Kaiba a glare and pointed at the marble bevel. “I won’t ask you again, human. Come here.”

Kaiba gave Atem a withering look. “No thanks. It’s wet,” he replied lamely.

The merman hissed at him.

“I can communicate with my men,” Atem lied smoothly, flipping his tail excitedly in the water and wondering what would happen if he showed the human his dick again. “I’ll have them bring you one of those stones you want so badly.”

“Right, how exactly are you communicating with them?” Kaiba asked nervously, his heart fluttering as he noticed the merman’s tail had become a dark red at the very ends of his fins.  
Had it…always been that color?  
He could’ve sworn it was a pale red yesterday.

“The same way I can read your mind,” Atem replied with firm conviction, and he decided to lift his tail out of the water, putting himself on full display. This tactic had worked previously, so it must work this time.

Undeterred, Kaiba hovered his hands over the keyboard once more, doing his best to ignore the merman’s advances.

There was a long, tense silence before Atem spoke up.

“Get me a flat bristled brush,” he demanded, smoothing his hands down his tail and feeling his scales shedding horribly. “And a wide plate.”

“What?” Kaiba asked incredulously, not understanding the purpose for these items, and he stared at the merman, watching him preen his tail with quick downward strokes before peeling several shimmering scales off his palms with a look of disgust on his face. 

“What are you doing?” Kaiba cried, leaping to his feet so fast, his chair clattered noisily behind him, and Atem threw him a nonchalant look.

“I’m going through a shed.”

Deciding to question it later, Kaiba quickly left the room to gather the items Atem requested.

Atem watched him go, and a swirl of frustration sat low in his stomach.  
His plan was working.  
The goal was to get the human to approach him willingly.

After a moment, the door opened and the human returned carrying a wide silver tray along with several black brushes sitting atop its shiny surface.

Kaiba approached the merman nervously and gently set the tray down on the ground beside him.

A tanned hand shot out to grab his wrist, and Kaiba froze, his skin burning from the sudden cold touch.

“Got you!” Atem said gleefully, giving Kaiba’s arm a hard yank and tumbling into the water on top of him, feeling him thrashing and shouting angrily back at him.

 Freezing cold water invaded Kaiba’s nose and mouth the second his body was dragged underwater, and he kicked out in fear, fighting against the arms which were wrapping firmly around his shoulders and hanging onto him tightly from behind while a thick tail snaked firmly around his waist. 

Holy fucking shit.  
He was about to be killed, or drowned, or worse, bit and poisoned….

“Stop struggling or I _will_ bite you,” Atem growled in the human’s ear, feeling the human still suddenly before finding his footing in the pool and managing to stand.

With his heart pounding ferociously in his chest, Kaiba planted his feet down onto the pool floor and shivered violently, his body quickly growing numb from the intense cold.

If he remembered correctly, this water was roughly negative three degrees Celsius.  
  
The cold from the water itself could kill him, so warmth from the merman’s body was strangely welcome, seeping in through the thin fabric of his shirt, and a hot breath tickled his ear as the merman laughed triumphantly, giving his shoulders a tight squeeze.

“Play with me,” Atem demanded, pressing his lips tightly against the shell of Kaiba’s ear and giving it a playful bite, enjoying the way he shivered in response. “Are you cold? I’ll make it warmer for you.”

Kaiba blinked, feeling the fishy tail tighten further around his body for a moment before a trickling heat enveloped him, and suddenly, the water began emitting steam.

His fingertips hurt from the sudden warmth, and Kaiba tentatively reached down to touch the scaly tail that was still firmly looped around his waist.

It felt warm and oddly mucous.  Taking a deep shuddering breath, Kaiba wondered if the merman would keep tightening his grip around him like a snake, slowly squeezing the soul out of him.

Frozen to the spot with a mixture of fear and anticipation, Kaiba did nothing, and felt the merman’s hands padding down the front of his chest, clawing at the fabric of his shirt.

“How annoying!” Atem smiled, holding his pointer finger up in front of Kaiba’s nose and showing him a single, sharp nail before he dragged it down the front of his shirt, ripping the fabric apart in the water and watching the pieces bob away gently.

Kaiba blinked rapidly, understanding that the merman was…stripping him.

“Turn around,” Atem coaxed, giving Kaiba’s body an encouraging squeeze with his tail. He could suddenly feel how fragile the human spine was.  
One violent twist in the wrong direction could result in this human’s death

“No thanks,” Kaiba managed through gritted teeth, and the merman’s tail encircled his waist even tighter, almost choking the air out of his lungs.

“Then we can play like this,” Atem insisted, hating how limited his own knowledge was of the human body. “Make me feel good.”

Kaiba swallowed thinly, his mouth growing dry and his skin burning hotter while he became more accustomed to the temperature of the water.

“And you’ll let me go…afterwards,” Kaiba said hoarsely, unable to believe how far the tables had turned, and the merman let out a hair-raising laugh.

“Indeed!” Atem jeered, baring his fangs completely and making a snapping motion at Kaiba’s neck, deeply enjoying the way the human tensed in his grasp. “Glad we can understand each other now.”

Stiffening uncomfortably, Kaiba took a careful step forward, his eyes fixated on the edge of the pool. If he got up on land, he could overpower the merman….

“Not a chance,” Atem growled, reaching forward to grab a fistful of the human’s hair and yanking his head back so far that their eyes met. “Even on land you are weaker than me.”

Kaiba swallowed his rage and chose to remain silent.  
There was no way out for him. The merman had latched onto his back like a heavy sack of flour and his tail was so long that even while wrapped around his body, the ends were swishing over the tops of his feet.

Trapped.

“There is a way out,” Atem smiled thinly and released Kaiba’s hair, seeing him jerk his head defiantly out of his grasp and keep his gaze facing forward. “I want your mouth again. I’ve never felt anything like that before.”

“You’ve never had sex before?” Kaiba asked nastily before he could help himself, and the merman fell eerily silent behind him. To his surprise, the arms around his shoulders loosened slightly.

Atem frowned thoughtfully at the back of Kaiba’s head, staring at the soft swirl of brown hair, thinking back to all the times he had had sex with a female. It had been quite uneventful.

“It’s different with you, a human,” Atem insisted, leaning forward and pressing his cheek tightly against Kaiba’s and smiling again. “Now make me feel good. That’s an order.”

Kaiba let out a delirious bark of laughter which echoed sharply throughout the basement and he shut himself up quickly. Goddamn. There really was no way out until he sexually satisfied the merman.

Growing impatient, Atem let his hands wander down Kaiba’s bare chest and across his torso, searching for his slit.  
Humans were similar to mermen, right?  
There had to be a slit leading to their manhood somewhere.

“Come on…human, take it out,” Atem coaxed, dragging his nails across one of Kaiba’s nipples and smirking at the shiver he earned. “Where is it? Where is it…I’ll find it on you.”

Kaiba froze when hot hands stopped under his navel and began slipping down into his pants with force. It seemed the merman wasn’t going to bother with the zipper?!

His own hands shaking, Kaiba moved to unbutton his pants and heard the merman hiss in his ear. “Don’t you dare try that. I _will_ bite you.”

Kaiba bit his tongue so hard, he tasted blood for moment before he managed to speak. “Let me show you.”

“I see,” Atem said pleasantly, his tone changing instantly. “Explain what you are doing.”

“I’m wearing something called pants,” Kaiba replied furiously, thinking the merman was going to be treated to a special edition of Seto Kaiba’s Flaccid Penis if this conversation kept up.

“I see,” Atem repeated blandly. “I’m not interested in that.”

“Understood,” Kaiba growled through gritted teeth, shakily pulling his zipper down and pushing his pants off his hips with a great effort.  
Damn, this was humiliating.

“And? What’s this?” Atem asked curiously, sliding his palm up and down along Kaiba’s hip and bunching his underwear uncomfortably between his legs. “A second protective layer?”

“Under…wear,” Kaiba breathed, his cheeks impossibly red and his ears burned while the merman pressed his bare chest against his back sensually.

“Your skin must be weak and thin,” Atem commented brashly. “Take it off.”

Kaiba felt a delirious laugh clawing its way up his chest, but he did as he was told, slowly hooking his thumbs over the band of his underwear and pulling them down halfway, hearing the merman chuckle in his ear.

“It’s here, isn’t it?” Atem cried, delighted. He slid his hand down Kaiba’s stomach, quickly grazing past his pubic hair to roughly grab ahold of his flaccid penis. “It’s…so small.”

Kaiba wavered dangerously on the spot, seeing flashes of white and green every time he blinked.  
This was not going to work.  
If the merman was going to ask mundane questions about underwear every step of the way, he would forever be sporting an anti-boner.

“Let go,” Kaiba said hoarsely, giving the tail around his waist a firm pat. “Turn me around, and it’ll feel good.”

The tail tightened around him fiercely in response.

“How do I know you won’t escape?” Atem demanded, his stomach curling unpleasantly at the thought of the human kicking him away. “I don’t trust you.”

“I will not struggle,” Kaiba said stiffly, hating himself deeply. “I am a man of my word.”

Atem frowned and contemplated this for a moment. Was this true?  
This man had taken his crown, but had given it back untouched even though it bore the stones he sought so desperately.

Kaiba held his breath, amazed when the merman’s tail loosened around his body and released him, so he carefully turned around to face Atem, finding himself nose-to-nose with the merman. A pair of plump, beautiful lips hovered inches from his own.

Kaiba stared intently at the merman’s lips, his mind slowly growing numb along with his body. They were so pink, and they looked…so soft.

Without thinking, he pressed his lips forward and relished in their plushness, enjoying the sharp tang of salt from the water that mingled in with the merman’s unique taste.

Atem blinked rapidly, his stomach twisting with sudden arousal at the way the human had nibbled on his lower lip. Before he could fully enjoy himself, an incessant stream of Kaiba’s thoughts invaded his consciousness.

_Oh fuck, he could spit in my mouth and kill me. I’m literally, willingly, drinking his spit right now. Wait, but he said he could control the acidity in..._

Atem let out a low growl, Kaiba jerked away quickly, his blue eyes wide with panic.

“Listen to me right now, human.” Atem clapped his hands down on either side of Kaiba’s face, the tips of his claws coming dangerously close the corners of Kaiba’s eyes.

Kaiba took a deep shuddering breath and held it, feeling the merman’s nails digging almost painfully into his cheek while he spoke.

“I will not kill you, because you will release me one day. You don’t easily live past a hundred years, so that day will come soon. Understood?”

Kaiba nodded stiffly, barely able to move his head.  
So then what the fuck was happening right now?

“Since you insist on keeping me as your pet fish,” Atem continued gleefully, making references to Kaiba’s previous thoughts, aiming to shake him. “I want to learn about you during my stay here, and you will make it enjoyable for me.”

Completely at a loss for words, Kaiba nodded again. Sure, whatever. Didn’t matter. He was aroused now and he ached for another kiss.

Slowly raising his arms out of the water, he gently cupped Atem’s face in his hands and pulled him closer, kissing him hungrily, feeling the merman freeze for a moment before reciprocating with vigor, flicking his tongue out to meet his and giving his tip a lewd swirl.

Atem smiled happily to himself, enjoying the wonderful heat coming from Kaiba’s chest pressed up against his own.

Kaiba’s mind grew hazy again, and he began to lose himself quickly, moving to drag his lips down Atem’s neck and giving his collarbone a playful bite. His skin tasted wonderfully sweet, and that mixed in with the salt from the water was a unique experience.

 Breathless with excitement at the thought of Atem’s hot length wrapped around his own, Kaiba slipped his hand down the front of the merman’s chest, traveling lower and expecting to find the wriggling tentacle waiting for him, but to his surprise, there was nothing but a smooth expanse of scales.

“You’ve got to find it,” Atem said wickedly, thinking the earlier removal of the two pants had been a game, and this was payback. “You’ll never find it.”

 Kaiba let out a low hiss, glaring at the merman. “Are you fucking serious?”

“Yes,” Atem replied indignantly, and he let out a stifled gasp when cold fingers pressured the spot directly above his slit, sending a jolt of electricity up his spine. That was a new feeling.

Kaiba let Atem squirm in his arms and he narrowed his eyes, slowly grazing his knuckles down each layer of scales, mentally counting them. He had to be close.

There was a soft spot giving away underneath his one knuckle and Kaiba tentatively slipped a finger underneath a loose scale, and to his surprise, his finger was enveloped by a wonderful warmth.  
  
Oh wait…holy shit.  
  
Atem bit his lower lip while his breathing increased tenfold. Deeply excited, he let Kaiba gently slip his finger in and out of his slit with agonizing slowness, causing a wonderful thread of warm pleasure to pool in his stomach.

Who knew…that this would feel amazing too.

“Continue,” Atem insisted, tightening his arms around Kaiba’s neck and giving the end of his tail a heated flick, curling it around one of Kaiba’s slender calves, rubbing him up and down excitedly. “It feels good.”

“Does it…?” Kaiba breathed, his boner aching painfully when he wondered if he could stick his dick…into this spongey warmth. “What happens if I put two fingers in? Or three?”

“I don’t know,” Atem replied defensively, hating that the human was still asking irritating questions. “I said…keep going.”

Terribly aroused, Kaiba wrapped one arm around Atem’s waist and slipped his finger into the soft hole as far as it would go, earning an excited gasp from the merman, and he felt the ends of the fish tail give his calf another encouraging up and down rub.

“Does it…hurt?” Kaiba asked, barely able to get the words out as he ground his hips forward, enjoying the way the tip of his own dick rubbed pleasurably up against the soft ridges of Atem’s scales.

“No,” Atem replied faintly, slowly reaching down to touch the hardness that was poking against his hip, and his fingers wrapped around a stiff, hard length.

Shocked, he glanced down in the water, wondering why it was suddenly so big.

“Let me put it in you,” Kaiba said, thinking he sounded like a complete asshole, but to his astonishment, the merman nodded eagerly.

“Yes, do!” Atem said, and before he could fully process what the human meant by that, the stiffness found his entrance and rammed into him with surprising force, stretching the skin around his slit almost painfully.

Stars dotted his fading vision, and Atem could feel his own manhood writhing inside him in protest, the sensation sending violent shocks of pleasure running up and down his entire body, so much that it was hard to breathe.

“Oh...f—” Kaiba gasped, his head spinning as he saw white. A tight heat sucked him in and massaged his tip wonderfully. He was dimly aware of Atem’s ecstatic cries, but his ears were ringing because the merman’s arms had wrapped so tightly around his head, he couldn't feel his ears. He was fully aware that they weren’t even moving their hips, but Atem’s hole pulsated with such heat and had a mind of its own.

Was this…okay?!

“Yes…yes it…is…fine,” Atem breathed, barely able to form a coherent sentence when Kaiba tensed his thighs and began to pull out slowly. “No…No! Don’t…”

 Kaiba grit his teeth and surged forward so fast, the water swirled powerfully around them. He pressed Atem’s back against the wall and gave him several firm thrusts, growing lightheaded the tighter Atem’s tail wrapped around his waist and enjoyed the tight heat enveloping his dick.

Amazing. Amazing!  
Atem shut his eyes and lost himself in the new wonderful sensations. Kaiba’s stiffness would ram into him and cause his manhood to curl deliciously low inside of him, each thrust bringing a foreign and feral desire rising with fiery pleasure to consume his entire being.

The relenting waves of ecstasy were becoming too much to bear, and a sharp pain was building low in his stomach.  
  
Atem let out a frustrated hiss. “Take it out, it hurts!”

And Kaiba did so, instantaneously. He risked a glance down in the water and saw Atem’s length finally emerging to wrap thickly around his own penis and give him a few teasing strokes, causing his knees to grow weak as his body was assaulted with unrelenting shocks of searing pleasure.

Atem shut his eyes once again and threw his head back, letting the human kiss and bite down along his neck. Cold hands roamed up his chest to give his nipples several sharp pinches, while below, his manhood was happily wrapped around Kaiba’s dick, sending violent threads of heat searing through his chest and stomach each time Kaiba thrust his hips forward against his curling and writhing tentacle.  
  
He pressed his mouth back onto Kaiba’s lips and licked the fronts of his teeth. A wrenching orgasm assaulted his body and Atem shuddered happily, his vision fading into white as he rode out the pleasurable waves, each stronger than the last.

It was getting hard to breathe, and the water was growing unbearably hot, but Kaiba paid it no mind.  
He was experiencing the best sex in his life.  
It was nothing like anything he had ever imagined.  
The slippery warmth from Atem’s tail was comforting against his back and legs, while a naughty tongue was sucking and tugging relentlessly at his excited dick, which was weeping for release.

Atem’s hands were curled happily in his hair, and his tanned, soft skin, tasted like exotic candy. The combined sensations were enough to make him cum passionately into the water between them, and Kaiba’s knees finally gave out, but the merman held onto him tightly, keeping him upright in the water.

Atem felt the human relax alarmingly fast after releasing, and he purposely wrapped himself tighter around Kaiba’s body, enjoying the way the human stiffened and shuddered uncontrollably underneath him.   
It was the most powerful and marvelous feeling.  
Atem shivered happily, listening to Kaiba’s ragged breathing beside his ear and the way his heart thudded rapidly against his chest.

Speechless, Kaiba shut his eyes and rested his chin on Atem’s shoulder, his mind buzzing with a pleasant warmth. The merman’s arms tighten protectively around his neck.

“Somehow…” Atem whispered hoarsely, his body trembling with residual threads of pleasure, “…that was even better than the last time.”

Kaiba nodded wordlessly and shivered as the water grew colder and colder. That had been so good, it had to be unreal. He let himself relax into the merman’s grasp, his mind spinning with conflict.  
Would it feel this amazing every time?

The merman’s tail fell off his body but his toned arms remained draped over his shoulders.

Kaiba’s vision blurred and he leaned forward to kiss Atem, relishing in the tenderness of his lips, sighing happily.  
Right…this was fine. That had just been the most interesting and amazing sex he’d ever had.

The water was properly cold again, and Kaiba shivered violently, earning himself an apologetic look from the merman as he was released.

Without hesitating, Kaiba climbed out of the pool and hurried to the door, sopping wet and freezing.

Atem leaned back into the water and watched him leave. The door slammed loudly, echoing dully in the chamber, and he sighed contentedly after flipping himself over to float his back.

 _I understand now_ , Atem thought darkly, holding his hand up over his eyes, feeling his heart still pounding excitedly in his chest.  
Humans were lewd creatures and extremely considerate when it came to making love, at least, the human Seto Kaiba was.

He shut his eyes and recalled the last time he had a sexual encounter with a mermaid, and he quickly pushed the thought out of his mind.

Upstairs, Kaiba stood shivering in the shower, nauseous from the cold.

He let the hot water cascade down his body, warming him up quickly.

His mind was oddly blank as he scrubbed his body down with soap, and a slimy silver film clung stubbornly to his leg.

Terrified, Kaiba frantically scraped it off, wondering if his skin was absorbing the merman’s semen, but the film came off in one solid sheet, thin as paper and completely transparent, oddly shaped like an oval.

A scale?

A mixture of curiosity and disgust curled in his stomach and he held it up to the light, seeing tiny veins running through it, almost as if he was looking at a piece of transparent human skin.

Deciding to keep it for further inspection, Kaiba shut the water off and stepped out, drying off quickly and keeping the scale wet in his palm.

He strode over to his desk and set it down on the surface, his hair still dripping water as he bent down to watch the light shimmer off it.

A spark of excitement and intrigue had been lit inside of him, so Kaiba hurriedly toweled his hair dry and rushed to get dressed. 

* * *

**Author’s note:**  
  
another sex scene  
kaiba is interested in atem in more ways than one.  
atem is enjoying the newfound pleasures of human sex.  
  
Edited by: SetoKaibaes/marshmallons

Ugli is quite tired but I push on! Please leave a review! My bunny’s wound is healing, and all will be right soon!

[(hugs hugs hugs)](http://uglifish.tumblr.com/links)


	6. but I'm afraid

Kaiba sat at his desk in his office with his face in his hands, his stomach churning with turmoil.

For the past few days, he had thrown himself into his work, performing a series of tests on the merman’s venom, saliva, and the single scale before sending them all to his most trusted lab technicians for a second opinion.

He had then sent the semen to a separate lab, deciding it was too embarrassing to say how he’d managed to obtain it if he was asked by his own staff.

But he had not slept well at all since his last sexual encounter with the merman, and his own thoughts were driving him mad.

He had almost died thrice during that ordeal.  
  
If the temperature of the water didn’t kill him first, the merman could’ve easily snapped his spine in half given the way he had curled his tail around his body. And even if that didn’t happen, the merman could’ve scratched, bit, or spit on him at any time.

Every breath shook dangerously with each shallow inhale, and Kaiba pressed his palms into his eyes, willing himself to calm down.

The merman had said something about changing his mind about killing him, and if sex was what he was interested in now….

Kaiba leaned back into his chair and gazed up at the ceiling, staring at the bright strip lights above his head.

God…was he really going to have a sexual relationship with a mythical creature he’d captured in his basement just for more samples from his body?

He inched forward and poised his hands over the laptop, quickly sending another mass email to his lab staff.  
  
Deep sea research was temporarily cancelled.  
Focus on ocean clean-up only for the next week.  
Send.  
The phone on his desk rang quietly, and Kaiba picked it up, listening to his secretary’s voice drifting in through the receiver.

 _“Mr. Kaiba, you have a meeting downstairs in ten minutes….”_  
  
Kaiba hung up and sighed again.

It was strange.  
Usually, he’d be exhausted after not sleeping well for several days, but his mind was oddly clear and his skin was less dull.

Chalking it up to the fact that he had been eating well, Kaiba shoved the thoughts of the merman aside and focused on his work.  
This event, like all other strange moments in his life, would pass.  
  
Studying the merman was just another bonus in his search for the stone with the sparkling blue cores.

* * *

Atem was bored.

He dove to the bottom of the pool and resurfaced again, splashing about aimlessly.

The human had not shown his face for a while. He didn’t know how long, because there was no way to tell the passing of time in the dark room.

There wasn’t a hatch to the sky like there was in the other enclosure, and Atem was beginning to sorely miss the sun.

Fresh night air would be nice too.

But the human _was_ listening to his demands.

An ageing human man had been wheeling in his meals on the silver cart twice a day, and would leave quickly without even looking at him.

Frustrated, Atem gave his tail a furious flick, feeling the water cascade down around his shoulders, the sound echoing thinly in the room. Maybe he could see his own captivity as a vacation of sorts.

There were no responsibilities for him here, but Atem found that he couldn’t stop worrying about Mana, Mahad…and the others.  
  
Atem folded his arms behind his head and floated lazily on his back.  
  
Mahad…his most trusted and loyal advisor had chosen to serve beside him as his personal protector, even though his skills as warrior would’ve been far more useful guarding their hemisphere.  
  
What was he doing now?

* * *

Kaiba gazed at the row of sharply dressed businessmen sitting on the plush chairs outside his meeting room, all looking eagerly at him through the glass, and he rolled his eyes.  
  
Why were there so many of them?   
This was going to be agonizing.

“I’ll be calling in the first one.” A woman to his left spoke up quietly, pulling her laptop closer towards her chest. “Or should we invite them in alphabetically? Or by subject?”  
  
“I‘m interested to hear them by subject first,” a man on his left said genially, smiling kindly at a bright-eyed young man who was staring intently at them from his seat. “Not by who they’re related to in this industry. That would be unfair. Mr. Kaiba?”

“Doesn’t matter,” Kaiba answered coldly, thinking that these two venture capitalists he had chosen to partner with were too soft. “Call in the first one.”  
  
Fairness wasn’t a concept that existed when presenting new ideas to investors. They were either good, or bad ideas.

“Let’s hear from this young man,” the woman said warmly, showing Kaiba her screen. “It seems mildly related to what you are currently invested in.”  
  
Kaiba eyed the document suspiciously, skipping over the odd foreign name at the top and reading the proposal’s title.

**“Deep Sea Mining: Searching for Secrets Hidden in Unexplored Ocean to Better Humanity”**

“A little vague, don’t you think?” Kaiba growled, the hair raising on his arms as he wondered if this was a strange coincidence.  
No.  
This only meant that he was headed in the right direction, and peasants with no money were already at his heels with a similar concept.  
  
“I think his writing is quite vague too, maybe because he wants us to hear it from his mouth. Or is it woman?” the man on his left said, nodding. “Call them in.”

The woman on his left talked into the receiver on the desk, calling out a number.

Kaiba curled his fist slowly, watching a tall man wearing strange robes rise to his feet and walk towards the glass door, and Kaiba’s heart stopped in his chest the moment he got a closer look at this man.  
  
He was handsome and muscular, wearing thin, golden bands on his toned arms, and his skin was eerily similar to…the merman’s.

Kaiba’s mouth grew terribly dry and he reminded himself to keep his thoughts in check.  
  
If he was indeed one of Atem’s men, then he wasn’t safe here, even in the confines of his own building.

“Welcome. Please state your purpose,” said the man to his left, and Kaiba blinked slowly, his ears ringing with dread, using all of his remaining effort to keep his mind blank.

“Hello. My name is Mahad. Nice to meet you all.” The man bowed deeply and Kaiba ground his teeth, staring at the many golden rings on his tanned knuckles.  
  
The small stone on one of his rings had a fiery blue core.  
  
“My proposal requires full cooperation from JOGMEC*. I believe Mr. Kaiba has already procured an agreement with them,” the man said evenly, in perfect Japanese. “So this partnership would be greatly beneficial to you.”  
  
Kaiba tucked his tongue between his teeth, chewing lightly.  
He had no reason to help this man.  
Why should he help this man?  
The partnership would benefit _him_ more.  
He needed at least one good reason—

“You should consider partnering with me because I know my way around the deep ocean,” the man continued, looking directly into Kaiba’s eyes, and Kaiba froze, noticing that his eyes were a stunning deep violet color.  
  
C-Contacts.   
Cosmetics.  
He was wearing contact lenses to a professional meeting.  
What a freak.

“…Both of my parents were marine scientists and I grew up near the…”

Kaiba stopped listening and began chanting tongue twisters to himself in his head.  
  
_There are 3 frogs hopping. Here come another 3 hopping frogs. In total, there are 6 frogs hopping._

“Mr. Kaiba?” the man addressed him directly, drawing him sharply back to the present.  
  
Doing his best to hide his surprise, Kaiba threw the man a cold look and sat up straighter, saying nothing.  
  
There was a stifling silence blanketing the room before the man spoke again.

“A bit off topic, but my eye color is completely natural. Am I boring you?”

“Why are you here?” Kaiba asked instantly, unable to help himself, and he wondered if he would get a real, truthful answer.  
This man was definitely not an entrepreneur, and didn’t look as if he cared about what he was presenting.

 _He knows I’m lying!_ Mahad kept his expression pleasant and managed a thin smile at the man with blue eyes sitting in the middle. _How?!_  
  
The human Seto Kaiba was sitting in the middle, so did that mean he was the most powerful? But the other two were putting out more money, and money was king to these humans, was it not?  
  
Mahad had barely done his research on the man named Seto Kaiba, because the other two humans were his target, and now he was sorely regretting not having done a better job.  
  
The only thing he knew about Seto Kaiba was that he was also interested in deep sea mining, but was no friend to the environment. At least, that was what the news articles said, so this man was automatically his enemy.

The other two human’s thoughts were more pleasant, running along the lines of _“oh how nice_ ” and, _“he sounds like he knows what he’s talking about,”_ but the middle human’s thoughts were pure nonsense!

He would not fail Atem now.

Beginning to sweat, Mahad steeled himself to continue the words he had prepared for these humans, focusing his attention on the handsome man in the middle, but was interrupted rudely by another stream of thoughts.

_Look at his color …must spend a lot of time in the sun. Or not. His hair is so damn long. Is he wearing makeup? Looks like eyeliner. Claims his contact lenses are his natural eye color...hilarious! What a freak._

Beginning to lose his patience, Mahad addressed the middle human again, this time, letting the anger show on his face.

“You have a problem with the way I look, hu—Mr. Kaiba?” Mahad bit his own tongue, realizing he had almost slipped up and addressed the man as “human” instead of by his name.

“Hu-Mr.Kaiba?” Kaiba taunted, daring himself to smile, and he felt a rush of pure certainty.  
Great. Freak confirmed. Now what should he do? Call his guards to throw this man as far off his property as possible or…question him about his rings?

“Mr. Kaiba, please, the man is nervous,” the woman said, giving his arm an awkward pat and addressing the entrepreneur before them. “Please continue, you were saying?”

 _I forgot!_ Mahad thought wildly, on the verge of panic.  
He had been interrupted by that vile man in the middle. Damn him.

“Don’t bother,” Kaiba drawled, examining his nails and briefly wondering if that man could smell the sex on him. “He doesn’t know what the fuck he’s talking about.”

Mahad balled his hands into fists at his sides and tucked them behind his back, his ears burning.  
Oh…this human was sharp and very difficult to fool.  
Maybe this was a bad idea.  
But he couldn’t go back empty handed.  
Everyone would be so disappointed in him.  
To top it all off, this man was thinking about his rings…and sex?!

The actions of humans never failed to astound him, and Mahad briefly wondered if bringing this man’s head back on a stick would suffice as proof that he had done his best in his search for Atem on land.

Kaiba gave the man an appraising look and addressed the venture capitalists at his sides. “I’m interested in him, but not his work. I want to interview him privately for something else. Do you mind if I take him now? I’ll be back in time for the last few.”

Mahad blinked rapidly, unable to believe his ears. What? Was the human going to hire him? Just like that?

“I knew you’d be interested! The first one too!” The woman at his side smiled warmly, and the man on his left laughed heartily.

Kaiba grit his teeth and stood quickly, motioning for the man to follow him, and he strode out of the meeting room, eager to keep a wide distance between them.

Mahad stood dumbfounded in the middle of the room, unsure of what to do with himself, so he bowed to the two remaining humans, listening to their thoughts while they offered him words of congratulations.

 _“Mr. Kaiba would make a fine businessman out of him! He looks so foreign, but speaks so well! Perhaps that’s what sold him!”_ was what the woman was thinking, and the man’s thoughts were less supportive.  
  
_“Mr. Kaiba’s interest is in him as a person, not his actual venture. He won’t get very far, but perhaps would earn a spot on his team.”_

Mahad hurried out of the room and was startled at the amount of negative energy that waited for him past the doors. All the businessmen in the line were glaring at him and thinking venomous thoughts.

 _“…Only picked because he looks the way he does…”_  
  
“A private meeting with Mr. Kaiba himself. I hate him.”

 _“It’s true Mr. Kaiba only hires beautiful people. The divide is real and unfair. I envy that man.”_  
  
“He even dressed in his own clothes! My suit was so expensive, I had to grovel and borrow money from my father…!”  
  
Thoroughly shaken, Mahad followed Seto Kaiba towards an elevator and was surprised to see the man step in without waiting for him.

The door closed quickly and Mahad was left standing awkwardly at the doors, his fury rising steadily.  
This human was so aggravating!

Kaiba pressed a hand to his chest and sagged against the elevator wall, his heart thundering painfully in his chest.

Holy fucking shit.

He gazed down through the glass, making sure the merman was a mere dot underneath him before he let himself loose inside his own head.  
  
A walking merman.  
A walking…merman!  
They could grow legs!  
  
Growling to himself, Kaiba stepped out of the elevator and made a mental note to test how far Atem’s telepathic range was. There was no way the merman could read his thoughts all the way up here.

 _“Only when you’re vulnerable,”_ Atem had said.

“Mr. Kaiba?” His secretary rose to her feet and bowed as he stormed past, and Kaiba shut himself in his office, sweating nervously.

There was no fucking way he was standing in the same enclosed space as that man. Did they still have poisonous claws and fangs while in human form?

Atem said he had summoned his men by communicating with them somehow, so the main goal was to find out… _how._

Mahad stepped out of the elevator and strode angrily towards the office doors and knocked furiously, ignoring the woman who came rushing up behind him, telling him to wait.

He was done waiting. If this human held influence over other humans, it was just as good as talking to a king.

The woman bowed nervously at him and knocked on the door, calling out to the human, “Mr. Kaiba, do you have a meeting with a foreigner?”

“No, but let him in,” came the reply, and Mahad swallowed tensely, furious that the human had answered to the call and instead of his knock.

The woman opened the door for him, and Mahad brushed past her, seeing the human standing at the far end of the room, holding a drink in his hand while gazing out the large glass windows.

Kaiba gripped his whisky and tossed it back in one gulp in a desperate attempt to calm his nerves. He would not lose to this…freak. Here, he was in total control.

 _A cruel maniac_ , Mahad thought angrily to himself, catching Kaiba’s thoughts about control. And here he had been hoping to have an encounter with a kind human, but everyone knew that those were rare.

“Let’s get to the point,” Kaiba said firmly, setting his glass down onto the table with a clink. He watched the merman’s eyes follow him. “What did you say your name was again?”

“Mahad,” the man answered, his eyes never leaving Kaiba’s hands on the empty glass.

“Would you like a drink, Mahad?” Kaiba asked plainly, thinking he would repeat the strange name as much as he could to remember it.

Mahad blinked, taken aback by the sudden hospitality. “A drink?”

“Yes, pick your poison,” Kaiba said, smiling as brightly as he could manage.

“Poison?” the man repeated, and Kaiba nodded stiffly, his stomach churning with triumph. Whenever his hunches panned out, it was satisfying to watch.  
  
He pointed at the wet bar in the corner of his office and watched the man’s eyes widen with curiosity.  
Predicable.

“Anything is fine,” Mahad replied, wondering if the human was really going to poison him with a drink.

“It’s an expression. Relax,” Kaiba smirked, catching a look of fear and confusion flitting briefly across the man’s face, and he walked towards the bar, keeping his back to the man to hide his own shaking hands. “You’ll have what I’m having. Sit.”

Mahad glanced around the room, seeing a plush leather couch behind him, and he walked hesitantly towards it, feeling extremely odd.

The man had seemingly read his mind.  
Did humans have telepathic abilities too?  
If so, a telepathic human was rare, and there weren’t real documented cases.  
  
Kaiba waited until he heard movement behind him, and he turned around, pleased to see the man sitting awkwardly on the couch. He made his way over to him with the two glasses and handed him one, finally getting a closer look at the man.  
  
His cheekbones were sharp and defined, and his hair was a dark chestnut brown. Underneath his robes, he appeared to be extremely muscular.

Mahad accepted the drink with both hands and lowered his head respectfully, unsure of how to behave with this human.

Deciding to remain silent to listen to his thoughts, Mahad sniffed the drink tentatively.  
It smelled like spirits. What a treat…!  
A rare and festive drink, one which he’d only had a few sips of collectively throughout his entire life, and…this human here had handed him an entire glass….

Deeply shaken, Mahad took a light sip, enjoying the way the drink stung his tongue, and a pleasing warmth traveled down his throat. Marvelous.

Was this human a king of sorts?  
  
The human’s thoughts were now louder than ever, given their proximity.  
  
_A bodyguard, perhaps,_ Kaiba mused, eyeing the golden rings that sparkled on the man’s finger. _A royal bodyguard. Not just any plain one._

Mahad choked on his second sip and coughed painfully.

Kaiba bit his lower lip in an attempt to keep the smile off his face. Being right was a great feeling.

Mahad wiped his mouth gingerly, finally understanding after piecing together what the other humans had been thinking. This man, Seto Kaiba, did not want him as a partner for a business venture, but as a bodyguard. 

Unfortunately, he was already a bodyguard…for Atem.

“Mr. Kaiba…” Mahad spoke, using the politest tone he could muster, and was interrupted readily.

“Now that you’ve got me,” Kaiba said, smiling thinly. “You can tell me what you really want.”

Mahad narrowed his eyes at the human, waiting to hear more thoughts from him, but there was nothing. The man was truly waiting.

“I—” Mahad began, and he was interrupted again.

“Answer truthfully,” Kaiba fumed, tapping his nails against his glass. “I don’t want to hear bullshit about mining or about your qualifications. I know it’s all lies.”

 _This man…._ Mahad growled to himself, willing his expression to remain pleasant as he tried to come up with an acceptable answer.

There was a thick silence, and Kaiba noticed for the first time that the man had an envelope tucked under his arm. Papers? This guy had seriously brought papers to back up his bullshit stories? Amazing. How the fuck did he do it?

Mahad blinked rapidly, his resolve quickly crumbling when he realized the human could immediately see that he was a fake.

“Let me see those,” Kaiba said nastily, pointing at the white envelope under Mahad’s arm, which almost blended in with the man’s robes.

Mahan glared and kept his grip on the envelope. “No. You will hear my request first.”  
  
There weren’t just papers in there to back his story.  
He had also brought a photo of Atem…just in case he got close enough to a human who would be willing to help him, but this human was not his first choice.

His journey on shore was going badly, and nothing was going according to what he had predicted. His first target had been the kind woman, and not this man.

“Then speak,” Kaiba answered simply. He crossed his legs and leaned back into the seat, watching the man’s expressions carefully.

Mahad gazed into the man’s clear blue eyes, desperately wishing for a positive thought from the man, but there was nothing but an eerie silence.  
  
Did this man…not have any thoughts? The silence was unnerving!

Perhaps this was why this man was so revered.  
Very well. Anything to help his beloved Atem.

“You’re right,” Mahad said after a long moment, and he watched the human give him a tight nod, encouraging him to go on.

“I have no interest in what I wrote in my proposal. I am looking for someone with influence who will help me. Can you help me?” Mahad asked keenly, and Seto Kaiba narrowed his eyes at him.

More silence, so Mahad pressed on, throwing caution to the wind. “I’m looking for this person.”

Kaiba watched the man slip a hand into the envelope and pull out a sheet of paper, but before showing him what as on it, the man held it close to his chest, his hand shaking slightly.

“Please,” Mahad said, realizing he was doing something very dangerous. “I have no one to turn to, and I only applied to this because I saw that there was a similar interest between us.”

This man had metal ships in the water that were currently mining for something.  
He had access to land and water.  
Having this powerful man’s help would save Atem, whose time was probably running out.

“Just shut up and show me what the fuck it is,” Kaiba said rudely, and the man gave him a long, cold look before handing him the sheet of paper.

Kaiba snatched it out of his hand and his blood ran cold when he found himself staring at a sketch of a familiar face. Dark smooth skin, wide angular eyes, beautiful spiky hair, delicate features, and a playful smile curved on plush lips.  
  
 A beautiful drawing.

His stomach churned with a mixture of anxiety and fear while he reminded himself to keep his mind blank.

Kaiba carefully uncrossed his legs and crossed them again the other way, arranging his face into a pleasant smile. “Who is this?”

Mahad gazed intently at the human’s face, listening to his thoughts for a reaction, but there were none, other than _“a beautiful drawing”._

On the bright side, the human was smiling kindly and looked interested.

“My…cousin,” Mahad lied, and was met with a wry smirk.

“Really? Your cousin,” Kaiba repeated, thinking he was sure this man was a bodyguard unless incest was rampant. “You look nothing alike.”

Mahad tensed, and glanced down at the drink in his hand. This man was unlike any human he had ever met.

He took a few sips, biding his time while trying to figure out a way to answer this question without telling another lie to the human.

“He is someone I care deeply about,” Mahad said truthfully, letting the alcohol sit pleasantly in his stomach. “And he’s gone missing. I was hoping someone like you, someone with power, could help me.”

“I’m not the police,” Kaiba answered bluntly, glancing down at the drawing again. “But I’ll keep this as a reference. Can’t help you.”

“No police would be able to find him,” Mahad said dully, now wondering if he ought to tell this human some more truths. Truths seemed to get them somewhere.

“There was a scream,” he began, and Kaiba snapped his head up to stare at Mahad, his heart pounding fearfully in his chest.  
  
“And it sounded like a panicked scream,” Mahad pressed on, pleased to see that the human showed an inkling of fear at this detail. “Everyone heard it, and a massive search was held immediately, but we were unable to find him.”

“Oh yeah?” Kaiba said, reverting back to his impassiveness, but he badly wanted to know what the man meant.

Oh, he was stupid. He could just ask inside his head.  
How massive was massive?  
Couldn't have been that effective, could it?  
They clearly didn’t do enough searching.  
Also, why was he searching here, in Japan of all places when he clearly looked like a foreigner?

Mahad bristled at the man’s thoughts.  
Was this human belittling their search efforts?!  
They had searched the entire ocean! Nothing had turned up, which was why he was now on shore! The worst had been assumed, and here he was, asking for the help of a lowly human to find one of their own.

“Listen here, human,” Mahad growled before he blinked and paused, mentally kicking himself. Oh no…he had messed up.  
This human valued power and respect.  
He had greatly insulted him by not addressing him by name!  
  
But to Mahad’s rising confusion, the human grinned and Kaiba’s blue eyes gleamed with a strange fire.

“Right, I am human,” Kaiba said gleefully, folding the sketch in half and tucking it into his blazer pocket. “Get out of my office.”

Mahad grit his teeth and bowed his head forward quickly in an apology. “Please forgive me.”

“No, I think you meant it,” Kaiba said lazily, rolling his glass in his hand while holding back laughter. “Get out before I have my men throw you out.”

“I’m asking you kindly,” Maha growled, his chest tightening with a mixture of fury and humiliation. “I will do anything. Did you want to hire me on as one of your staff? I will do it.”

“No, I don’t want you anywhere near me,” Kaiba replied venomously, eyeing the man’s hands carefully and noticing that they looked incredibly normal and human. “But I am interested in the jewelry you’re wearing.”

Mahad blinked incredulously, wondering if his own ears were deceiving him.  
Did human greed know no bounds?

“My…jewelry?”

“This one in particular,” Kaiba raised his hand and pointed at his own bare forefinger. “The blue core. Love that color. Where’d you get it?”

And to his extreme delight, the royal bodyguard looked deeply stunned.

Mahad tried to calm his racing heart.  
This man wanted his ring? His _signet_ ring?!  
Or rather, this man wanted to know where he got it?

“This ring…” Mahad said, feeling his throat closing up and choking him. “This was given to me by my cousin, the one I showed you a photo of.”

“Okay, and where did _he_ get it from?” Kaiba asked lazily, taking a sip of his drink and noticing that the man had finished his. “Want more? I’ll pour it for you.”

He grabbed the empty tumbler from the man’s hands and strode back to his wet bar, eager to get away from him.

Mahad sat very still, his stomach sinking lower and lower.  
This man was not only sharp, but also sought the rarest stones in existence?  
  
But if Atem had been captured by a human and was on the brink of death, trading his ring for the help of a human who could also search from the sky…was worth it.

“I will give you this ring,” Mahad said shakily, staring intently at the human’s slender back.

The clinking of glass was pleasant as the human busied himself with drinks and did not answer.

“I will give you this ring if you help me find my cousin,” Mahad said firmly, regaining his composure. “My family fears he may be dead. We are worried about him.”

The human walked back toward him with the entire bottle and one glass filled to the brim with dark liquid.

“I don’t want your damn ring,” Kaiba growled, setting the whiskey down on the table between them, wondering if the bodyguard would talk faster if he was drunk. “I want the gem in the middle.”

“Even _I_ don’t know where the gem comes from!” Mahad gasped, paling. The hunters kept the cave locations a secret, even from the royal family.

“I don’t believe you.” Kaiba smirked playfully, and saw the merman reach for the full glass, his hands shaking visibly again.  
Okay, fine.  
Maybe this guy really didn’t know where they came from, but he knew something. He had to.

Mahad took a big gulp and managed to say truthfully, “It’s a trade secret,” attempting to deter the human from asking about it further. “No one knows where to get them, aside from the people who…hunt…for them.”

“Right, and you’re not a hunter.” Kaiba rolled his eyes and was met with a shocked look.

“I am not,” Mahad replied indignantly, willing himself to stay composed. Why was this human scaring him so much? Humans were harmless.  
But this one didn’t feel quite right.

…If the stone was what this human wanted, their treasury was filled with a collection, given to the royal family as gifts by hunters from over the centuries. Perhaps with enough finessing, he could ask Shadi for access….

“Then I can’t help you,” Kaiba said, sneering. “But you sure like your alcohol. Try not to stumble on your way out.”

“No! I can procure—I can give you a gem,” Mahad said nervously, gripping the glass tightly. “One even bigger than this. The size of a chicken’s egg. How does that sound?”

“Great!” Kaiba’s eyes lit up and he grinned again. “That big, huh?”

“Yes,” Mahad replied firmly, his stomach churning with uncertainty. This human’s smile was strangely charming. “And I’ll do you one better. One gem per search unit.”

“What?” Kaiba frowned, no longer understanding. What was this guy asking him to do again?

“Find my cousin,” Mahad said, exasperated. The human had forgotten everything the moment he mentioned the gem. Typical greediness.

“Yeah, I know,” Kaiba snapped, losing his patience. “What do you mean by search unit?”

“You have...access to men, don’t you?” Mahad said nervously, realizing he didn’t know how humans conducted searches for their own missing.

“Interesting. You don’t know how it works, do you?” Kaiba said gleefully, giving Mahad another mean smile. “Okay, let me explain something to you in a way you’ll understand.”

Mahad sat very still, the tiny hairs on his arms standing on end.

“Do you know who I am?” Kaiba asked loftily, and he answered his own question. “Of course you don’t. Look out my window. Do you see the view? I own this city. So, this is my…kingdom, if you will.”

Mahad stared so hard at the human, his eyes began to water when he forgot to blink. Ah…this was the right human to come to. But if this human was a king, he had the worst attitude.

“So here is a counter offer,” Kaiba said, standing and holding his hand out to the man for a handshake. “You will give me your contact information. I will see if I can use the gem for my purposes, and while I’m doing that, I will also send out search teams.”

Mahad stared at the man’s outstretched hand, slowly digesting his words.

Contact. Giving information to a human for contact.  
  
That was forbidden.  
  
Give this man a large gem from their treasury, which he would have to end up stealing if no one was willing to support the human part of the search….  
  
Punishable by death.  
  
“Counter-counter offer,” Mahad said haughtily, setting the glass down and also  rising to his feet, looking the human straight in the eye. “I give you a meeting location. You go there, and I will have the gem ready for you. In return, you must give me your word that you will find my cousin.”

“If you’re sure he’s still in the country.” Kaiba grinned, holding his hand out further, eager for the agreement to go through. “I will find him and bring him to you, and I am a man of my word. But if he’s dead or overseas, I can’t do it.”

“Then I shall call you with a meeting location later,” Mahad declared, grabbing the man’s hand and giving it a firm shake. “I agree to this deal. You sound honest.”

 _That’s because I am_ , Kaiba thought mildly, very pleased with the deal. Calling this man up here had been a great decision.

Mahad nodded and released the man’s hand, his skin tingling strangely.

The human handed him a tiny plastic card.  
He accepted it while bowing stiffly, watching as the human did the same before picking up the bottle of spirits and handing it to him.

“For your troubles,” Kaiba said icily, still eyeing the ring on the man’s hand. Damn…he really wanted to get his hands on it now. Right the fuck now, but this man was walking out of his office….

Mahad accepted the bottle with both hands, listening to Kaiba’s rapid stream of thoughts. Giving Seto Kaiba his ring would prove that he had done a noble thing on land in his attempt to bargain with a human.  
It was good thing, to go home without the royal ring.

Kaiba watched with rising interest as the man pulled the ring off his finger and held it out to him in his palm, smiling coldly.

“Very well, you may have this,” Mahad said.

Kaiba reached out to gladly take the ring, feeling a rush of vicious triumph.  
  
Good. He could melt this down without any guilt.

Mahad swallowed and did his best not to react, but Kaiba saw the color leave the man’s face.

“I suppose…I’ll see myself out,” Mahad whispered, bowing again and backing out of the office. He turned and hurried out through the door, raging internally.

This human was going to _melt down_ his signet ring!

Wishing he had known that before handing it over, Mahad stabbed the elevator button with fury, gripping the neck of the bottle so hard, his skin burned.  
And he had gotten a bottle of fresh spirits for it in return.

It was fine. Rings could be re-forged. Giving it up signified he was willing to do anything for Atem, even sacrificing his position in the royal court.  
  
This businessman Seto Kaiba was skilled in making his deals, and Mahad was beginning to understand why this human was so powerful.

Kaiba watched the walking merman step into the elevator and sink from his view before he yanked the sketch of Atem out of his blazer pocket for better inspection.

He unfolded it and stared at the even strokes surrounding the dark liner of his angular violet eyes.

Unmistakable. This was the face of the merman currently being held in his basement pool.

Kaiba placed the golden ring onto his desk and inspected it closely.

It had to be a seal, or a signet ring of sorts.

A delicate triangle surrounded an abstract carving of an eye. Embedded in the center of the eye as its pupil was the glowing stone with a dazzling blue core.

Finally. Fucking finally! He had something to test on.

Extremely excited, Kaiba grabbed his laptop and shoved it into his briefcase, eager to get home. Today had been a triumphant day.

* * *

**Author’s note:**

Mahad grew some legs and is on the hunt for atem  
Kaiba makes deals he’s sure about because he knows he can deliver, and that is what makes him a good businessman. Honest? Not so much, but he sure can deliver.

 [1]asterisk JOGMEC - Japan Oil, Gas and Metals National Corporation

edited by setokaibaes/marshmallons

**ugli story time!**

Many of you who have been reading me for a while may recall a blanket official statement i put out A YEAR AGO regarding **harassment** , and im here to refresh that, because the said-harasser has returned with full vengeance, still holding a grudge, over something that happened between us personally.

I'm not here to play victim, because i understand that it takes 2 people to have a dispute, and a dispute _was had_ , but

instead of keeping the details of this personal dispute...well, _personal_ ,

MORE DETAILS are added and she has turned the entire side of her story into one giant finger, pointed at me, calling me several mean names which I will not repeat here :)

 **furthermore, she has been private messaging everyone around me.** and has been doing so for the past year.  
  
PMing all of my current editors. (like, do you think they wont come talk to me about what you're saying? girl, stop!!)  
Pming All of my mutuals in the fandom,  
Pming anyone i tag on my blog  
anyone i call a friend...basically anyone she can reach, to tell them this wonderfully inflated story of our PERSONAL dispute.

Dear (redacted name of the person im referring to):  
  
PLEASE. STOP SPREADING FALSE RUMORS ABOUT ME IN THE FANDOM.  
  
(what do you gain from it? you're honestly making yourself sound crazy cuz the people you talk to, come message me saying: omg this crazy person just came up to me randomly out of nowhere talking shit) like?!? im honestly laughing rn, girl, stop. u making urself look and sound crazy.  
  
This will be the last time i'm going to address this publicly because you're making it super public to the people around me, so here is my super public (and last) response:  
  
1) i dont want to give you any more time or attention (its all very negative and not great for my mental health tbh)  
  
2) it has been **a year** (and some months). A YEAR, HON. I been living my life, while you spend your time hating!  
  
Move on from it please, for your own sake. You'll feel a lot better, i promise.

3) We are in the same fandom. We like the same stuff. You don't have to attach my name to it. (again, thanks, i guess...but im more disturbed than anything.)

4) i also guess im flattered that you're starting an ugli-hate club. (thumbs up, confetti)

if YGO for you equals--- hating on ugli, writing smut for urself and your friends, hating on ugli again, messaging other ppl about why they should hate on ugli, then...great.

im glad thats what you get out of this fandom.

thanks for reading leave a comment ok bye!!!! :D :D

xoxo  
Ugli


	7. you won't forgive me

Atem swam around in a lazy circle, feeling oddly worn out.

He’d never gone this long without seeing the sun or breathing fresh air.  
  
The air seemed fine here, but he was indoors.

 _I don’t want to die here, even if it is fun to play with the human,_ Atem thought wearily, flipping over onto his stomach and swimming to the edge.

He laid his head down on the marble surface and sighed, wondering if he should pray again. No, praying was stupid and useless, especially when no god could hear him this far away from the water.  
  
This was exactly how his mother had perished.  
  
Here, he was comfortably fed and watered, but was still feeling the effects.  
His mother might have been in a smaller pool and had probably suffered in her last hours.  
  
There was no human container that could sustain his needs, especially when open water and open air were what he really needed.

Sighing, Atem closed his eyes and willed for sleep to come, feeling tears pooling annoyingly underneath his lids. The human would be angry if he was offered more gemstones.

It seemed that Seto Kaiba was irked by the gems, instead of appreciative, like all other humans he had encountered in his life, and that was the single most startling thing about this man.

Atem lolled his head to the other side and breathed deeply. Sleep…. Sleep….

* * *

Kaiba stood beside three of the scientists who were grouped around him at his elbows.

He stared at the results they had presented him, unable to believe his eyes and ears.

The saliva was useless. It tested as plain, human saliva.  
The venom was also useless. It was potent, but there were other snakes in the world whose bite proved deadlier.  
  
But the scale, the singular scale was the saving grace! It had regenerative properties!

“So you’re telling me…” Kaiba said hoarsely, holding the electronic pad closer to his face, reading the notes on the side. “It healed your papercut.”

“It healed my childhood scar, Mr. Kaiba!” A scientist piped up, sounding positively ecstatic. “Cut off a sliver, and just placed it on my skin. Waited several hours, and it was like magic!”

“We can refine this and make it into a serum,” another scientist added nervously, swiping her finger on the screen and showing Kaiba a chart. “If we can extract the blood and skin cells out of it, it would make an amazing liquid. Where did you find this? It’s positively miraculous!”

“We wanted to do more tests on it,” the third scientist spoke up, nodding in agreement with her coworker. “But there wasn’t enough of it left to do a test spin in the centrifuge. Do you have more of this strange…epidermis?”

“It is quite like human skin,” the first scientist said unhelpfully. “But when enlarged…” he reached for the pad and tapped on it, showing Kaiba a magnified image of Atem’s scale. “Frightening, isn’t it?”

“Yeah, terrifying,” Kaiba replied, his mind spinning with excitement and renewed vigor. The merman had an endless supply of scales. He could obtain more very easily.

“May we ask where you got it from?”

And all three of his scientists looked at him hopefully for an answer.

“This may surprise you,” Kaiba said blandly, and he quickly decide to partially lie. “I got it from a man. He’s got a large supply, so I’ll go relieve him of it.”

“Amazing!” the second scientist cried, clapping her hands together with joy. “Buy him out! Think about all the sick children or battle-worn soldiers we could help with this!”

“And if your supplier runs out stock, we’ll have enough to find a way to replicate it,” the third scientist added, smiling warmly.

The other technicians in the lab raised their heads to stare at them and began applauding.

Kaiba’s ears rang tinny with the sounds of their applause and his knees grew weak.  
  
If what they were saying was true, then he had happened across something miraculous.

“Thank you.” Kaiba held his hand up shakily and the applause faded. “Another project. This takes priority until I can get more of that regenerative film.”

He handed the nearest lab technician the signet ring in a sealed plastic bag, and she bowed after accepting it with both hands.  
  
“Run tests on the stone in the middle. Avoid melting it down if you can.”

“Thank you Mr. Kaiba,” one technician said, bowing deeply to him as he made his way to the door. “Working for you is such an honor.”

There was a murmur of agreement echoing behind him, and Kaiba found himself speechless.

Walking quickly into the elevators, he folded his arms tightly across his chest and waited for the doors to slide shut, seeing his technicians waving at him with friendly goodbyes.

It was getting hard to breathe.

Kaiba loosened his tie and leaned against the elevator, extremely lightheaded.

Time to pay the merman a visit tonight.

* * *

Atem perked his ears up, hearing footsteps approaching the door, and he kept his eyes closed, still half-asleep.

It had to be Seto Kaiba.  
The old human had already come in twice today.

Kaiba stepped into the basement and closed the door gently behind him after seeing the merman fast asleep, with his head propped up under his arms on the marble edge.

“Atem…” Kaiba spoke quietly, approaching the edge and standing a few feet away. “I have something for you.”

The merman did not react, and Kaiba gazed around the basement, seeing no new changes other than another small pile of glittering gemstones in the far corner of the pool, sitting beside stacks of golden armbands.

Had he been crying…again? Damn.

Guilt bubbled low in his stomach and Kaiba shoved the feeling away roughly, calling out to the merman again.

“Atem, wake up and tell me who Mahad is.”

Atem’s eyes shot open and he blinked, gazing up at the human. His breath caught slightly in his throat when he realized he had forgotten how handsome this human was up close.

“Mahad?” Atem repeated hoarsely, wondering how Kaiba had managed to discover the name of his bodyguard. “How do you know that name?”

“First tell me who he is,” Kaiba replied impatiently, fully ready to play the merman’s give-and-take questioning game. “And then I’ll tell you how I know him.”

“You _know_ him?!” Atem cried, raising his head up off his arms to stare incredulously at Seto Kaiba. “Well I suppose that’s not unheard of. Mahad is a strong warrior and my right-hand man. He protects and advises me on matters happening in the kingdom.”

“So I was right,” Kaiba said to himself. “A royal bodyguard.”

“Now how do _you_ know him?” Atem demanded, flicking his tail nervously behind himself, creating thick waves which caused the water to splash over the edge. “Go on, speak!”

“He _walked_ into my office,” Kaiba said gleefully, reaching into his blazer pocket and pulling out the sketch. “To give me a present.”

Atem pulled himself out of the water and sat nervously on the edge, holding his hand out for the paper, “Let me see it!”  
He felt a rush of intense gratitude towards his protector.  
Mahad had visited this human? How did Mahad know?!  
That was his Mahad after all, always close at his heels as his most loyal guard.

“First, you tell me how he sprouted legs,” Kaiba said lazily, keeping the paper folded and sticking back into his pocket. “Then you can see the message.”

Atem took light shallow breaths, his ears ringing with incredulity. So many questions were churning around in his mind, he could barely think straight.

Mahad had sent a message?  
Seto Kaiba had seen Mahad with legs?

Then it meant Mahad must have done something terribly forbidden in order to walk on land. But he had gotten close, and had given Seto Kaiba a paper message!

“Well?” Kaiba pressed, wondering if Atem growing legs had anything to do with his regenerative scales. “Come on. If you tell me, I’ll give you the message. I’ll even tell you everything about our meeting.”

Atem held his breath and stared intently at the shiny watch sitting on Kaiba’s wrist.

Fine. Fine! He would tell Seto Kaiba anything if it meant he could see a message from Mahad.

“Mahad probably committed a crime,” Atem said weakly, his head spinning sick at the thought. “Or he bribed someone to let him into the Chrysalis.”

“What the fuck are those words?” Kaiba rolled his eyes. “Explain.”

“Different regions call it different things.” Atem fumed, curling his fists at his sides. “Some call it a Moon Pod, or a Gene Pool, but my kingdom calls it the Chrysalis.”

“Right, and?” Kaiba pressed, now interested. He walked over to the table and dragged the plastic chair noisily across the floor, placing it directly in front of Atem before sitting down in it. “Keep talking.”

“You soak in the pool and grow legs,” Atem continued, thinking that this was obvious already. “Many warriors used it to war with humans long ago, but those days are over, and access to the Chrysalis has been forbidden for many centuries.”

“You were at war with us on land?” Kaiba said, wondering how the fuck merpeople even began to manage that. “War between us is stupid. You don’t need anything from land to survive underwater.”

“That is true,” Atem raged, now passionate about educating Kaiba on their cause. “It was a war to defend ourselves. Humans wanted our riches, which we gladly gave, but it was never enough. Human greed is terrifying and never-ending.”

“Right, because you all cry gold and silver.” Kaiba rolled his eyes, and he was corrected vehemently by the merman.

“Precious stones. Gold and silver are metals that our bodies can’t produce. Everyone knows that.”

Kaiba stared at Atem for a long moment before bursting out into laughter.  
Sure! Everyone knew that!

Now thoroughly worried, Atem watched the human laugh and laugh, the sounds echoing pleasantly in the large chamber.

“Okay…okay,” Kaiba breathed, his sides aching while he composed himself with a great effort. “Anyway, back to this…Gene Pool, this Chrysalis—”

“Mahad is a warrior, so of course he knows the location of a Chrysalis,” Atem interrupted, eager to please the human with information. “Similar to how hunters will never reveal the locations of the demon’s caves, it’s all secret.”

“Wow,” Kaiba said, tucking a hand under his chin and leaning forward. “Cool.”  
His hunch had been correct.  
Regenerative scales held the ability grow legs. It made a lot of sense.  
Very cool.

Atem gave the human a strange look. Cool? He had just divulged ancient knowledge, and all the human had to say for it was ‘wow, cool’?!

“Now let me see the message,” Atem said readily, holding out his hand which was now dry. He had been sitting on this edge storytelling long enough.

Kaiba nodded happily and slipped the paper out, handing it quickly to Atem and watching him unfold it.

Atem stared at the drawing of his own face, his throat closing up at the familiar stokes.

Priestess Isis had drawn this with extreme care.  
And it was dry, with not a speck of water on it, which meant Isis was also on land, or Mahad had asked her to surface long enough to draw this.

The thought made his stomach churn so hard, he grew nauseous.  
  
Everyone in the kingdom was looking for him.  
Everyone…was putting their lives at stake to find him.

“You better release me soon,” Atem said shakily, feeling a horrible pressure building behind his eyes again, but he held strong. “Everyone is looking for me.”

“You lied to me,” Kaiba snickered, completely oblivious to Atem’s distress. “You said you could communicate with your men. You clearly can’t if he’s walking around handing flyers out with your face on it.”

“Yes, I lied about that!” Atem cried, losing all semblance of his front and deciding to be completely honest. “My people are in danger the longer they keep looking for me. Please, Seto Kaiba, release me. I know you are kind man—”

“Oh shut up, I know you don’t think that,” Kaiba growled, rising to his feet and spotting the silver tray sitting at the corner of the pool.  
  
Stray scales!

He rushed to it excitedly and was dismayed to discover that it had all dried out.

The shoe brush he had provided was right beside the tray, so he picked it up to tentatively poke at the pile of dried scales, seeing them flake at a single touch.  
  
Oh fucking shit.  
These needed to be kept damp, as he had suspected.

“What are you doing?” Atem asked, horrified to see the human poking at his dead scales on the tray. “That’s disgusting. Toss it out before it begins to mold.”

The human turned to give him a blank look before his face split into a handsome, boyish grin.

“I’ll make you another deal, merman. Are you interested in hearing my offer?”

Atem narrowed his eyes at the human, attempting to read his thoughts, but there were none, so he nodded stiffly. Whatever it was, this human wasn’t after riches, so it ought to be safe.

“I will come down here to brush you as often as you need it.” Kaiba held up the shoe brush and wiggled it playfully in his hand, unable to stop smiling. “In return, you let me keep the scales you shed.”

“You’re offering to do me two services, human,” Atem smirked, quite pleased with this deal. “Why do you want my dead scales?”

“I’m collecting them,” Kaiba answered truthfully, knowing the merman wouldn’t care for this answer, and he was right. Atem lost interest and gazed intently at his necktie.

“What is that? You always wear it, and it is loose today,” Atem said, pointing at Kaiba’s silk tie. “That rope around your neck.”

“I wear it because I like the way it feels,” Kaiba said, giving the flaky scales another poke before picking up the tray and moving to dump the contents messily onto the table. He could sample and pick those up later. Right now, he needed fresh ones to test on.  
  
“Need help?” he asked, holding up the shoe brush and giving Atem a tentative smile.

“If you wish to do such a demeaning and mundane act,” Atem said pleasantly, flipping his tail happily up and down on the damp marble surface. “I won’t stop a man who wants to throw away his own dignity.”

“Right,” Kaiba muttered under his breath, walking to the edge and kneeling at the end of Atem’s tail. “Is there a …certain way to do it?”

“Logically, you brush in the direction from which the scale grows out,” Atem replied smugly, folding his arms across his chest and enjoying the human’s interest. “Downwards, and never against the folds. Its uncomfortable.”

“Got it,” Kaiba breathed, bracing himself.

Gripping the brush in his palm, he gave merman’s tail a long stroke downwards. When nothing happened, he did it again, and again, seeing several clear oval films catch on the edge of the brush and follow him down to the ends of Atem’s fins.

Perfect.

He carefully lifted the brush and laid the shining scale flat across the silver tray.

Atem watched with rising curiosity as Kaiba peeled apart each one with his fingers and arranged them in a neat row on the tray, slightly overlapping. He rolled his eyes.

“Why are you being so careful? You can discard it carelessly,” he said, waving his hand across his nose. This human was ridiculous!

“I want them…neatly organized,” Kaiba replied through gritted teeth, knowing he was being laughed at, but he didn’t care. This stuff should be treated with care because it was more valuable than liquid gold.

“What?” Atem cried, laughing heartily as he caught a thread of Kaiba’s thoughts. “My dead skin is like liquid gold? Wouldn’t you rather have real liquid gold?”

“Shut up,” Kaiba replied, his ears burning as the merman’s laugh rang pleasantly around him.

He continued brushing Atem’s tail in smooth downward strokes, feeling his shoulders beginning to ache. Damn, this was hard work. But it would be worth it…not to have a scale stick on his skin after sex.

Atem froze with surprise when he heard this thought, and he gave the ends of his tail a playful wiggle, watching the human carefully place another stack of wet scales onto the silver tray and duck his head down, continuing to brush him with care.

The human didn’t like the scale sticking to him after…sex. So, the human wanted to play with him after all!

“Tell me,” Atem said warmly, enjoying the way his lower body tingled every time Kaiba gave him a particularly strong downward stroke, “Did you miss me? How long were you gone?”

“Several days,” Kaiba answered emptily, his stomach once again churning with guilt when he realized the merman had no way of telling time in this room. “Yeah, sure, I missed you.”

“Oh good, I missed you too.” Atem smiled, feeling relieved. It would be bad if the human lost interest and forgot about him. That wouldn’t happen, right?

“Forgive me for asking again,” the merman spoke up again, and Kaiba peeled another stack of scales off the brush, running his hand along the freshly brushed patch and enjoying the warm, smooth feel.

Beautiful….

“What?” Kaiba said absently, his mind wandering sinfully.

The sheen of the merman’s tail really was mesmerizing. There were also many layers to the scales, so he had to go over the same spot many times, but the result was a luscious red color with gold veins threading through the upper scales.

The tail waved slowly in his vision, narrowly missing the tip of his nose, and Kaiba jerked back awkwardly, glancing up to meet Atem’s heated glare, his cheeks wonderfully pink.

“Yes, I know my tail is pretty,” Atem said, his heart fluttering wildly at the compliments raining down on him from Kaiba’s thoughts. “Now tell me, when are you planning to release me?”

Kaiba swallowed thinly and resumed brushing the other side of Atem’s tail, his heart pounding loudly in his ears. Soon. Possibly after the stone came back from testing.

“Good, ‘soon’ it is then,” Atem said mildly, giving his tail a happy wave while his skin tingled pleasantly. “It’s been a while since someone has brushed me. The last person to do it was—”

Atem stopped talking abruptly and Kaiba glanced up nervously, seeing a pained expression on his face.

Ah shit…what was it now?

“Just say it, and turn over,” Kaiba growled, slipping another couple of transparent scales off the brush and admiring the healthy stack sitting on the silver tray.

Atem eased himself onto his side, letting Kaiba graze the brush over his hip and all the way down to the middle of his tail.

There was a brief silence before Atem managed to compose himself and say, “My mother.”

“You miss mommy?” Kaiba answered playfully, hoping to lighten Atem’s mood, but to his dismay, the merman’s face continued to darken.

“If you continue to keep me here, I’ll die the same way she did,” Atem said, his voice trembling with denial. “But I know you’ll let me go before that happens.”

Kaiba said nothing and kept brushing Atem’s hip, hating how the atmosphere had grown heavy with sorrow when it had been mildly romantic only a minute ago.  
So the merman’s mother had died after being captured.  
Unsurprising.  
If she had been captured before humans had access to good technology….

Kaiba shook the thought out of his mind and ran his hand down Atem’s smooth hip, pleased with his work.

“Other side, turn over.”

Atem obliged, staring at the human’s hands and at his slender fingers. They were thin and long, almost like a siren’s.

The strokes down his hip were long and even, sending warmth traveling down to the tips of his tail, and Atem dared himself to enjoy it.

The silence in the chamber was comfortable, with only the slicking of the brush filling the air between them, and the occasional pause when Kaiba would pull away to discard the scales onto the tray.

“Your sides are finished. Turn over again,” Kaiba said simply, his arms aching.  
This was going to be so worth it. He couldn't wait to see the faces of his scientists when he presented them with the stack of scales.

Atem rolled over onto his stomach and allowed the human to stroke the ends of his tail with heavy precision.  
He couldn’t deny that this felt nice.  
The last time a mermaid offered to clean his tail, she had done it half-heartedly and in a rush, only because she had been expecting sex afterwards.  
It was similar here, wasn’t it?  
Was this human expecting playtime after the grooming session?

“Tell me what you do for a living, human,” Atem said kindly, and he heard Kaiba’s thought as an immediate answer.

_How the fuck do I explain it to him in a way that he’ll understand?_

“I’m not a child you know,” Atem bristled, throwing Kaiba a look over his shoulder, growing warmer the higher the brush traveled up his backside. “If you’re eloquent enough, I’ll understand.”

Kaiba nodded, nervous as his brush grazed over where he thought the merman’s ass would be. “I make and sell technology. You know, computers and phones...?”

“I see,” Atem replied pleasantly, tucking his hands under his chin and closing his eyes. “And what does your Mokuba do for a living?”

“He’s a kid, he goes to school,” Kaiba answered stiffly, discarding another stack of scales onto the tray and dipping his hands into the water to lightly splash them, making sure they wouldn’t dry out.

“Oh, school! We have those,” Atem nodded, pleased to hear a topic he was familiar with. “I’ve learned about human schools—”

“Do you have an asshole?” Kaiba interrupted, running his hands up and down Atem’s curved backside, wondering if he could find a hole the same way he found the slit.

Atem bit his tongue so hard, his eyes watered.  
Well, yes, but he wasn’t going to tell the human that.  
What if the human wanted to stick something in it to take a sample?  
How humiliating.

“No,” Atem lied, his ears burning with a strange heat while Kaiba poked and prodded at him, dangerously near his asshole. “Don’t bother. I don’t have one.”

“Okay,” the human replied, sounding oddly disappointed, and the gentle, even brushing resumed.

“Do the front now,” Atem insisted, turning around heavily and leaning against Kaiba’s arm, making sure it was trapped underneath him. “Hurry up, this is getting boring.”

Kaiba grit his teeth and nodded. Spoiled royal brat.

“I heard that,” Atem said haughtily, his angular eyes flashing dangerously at Kaiba. “Keep calling me names, human, and see where it gets you.”

Kaiba smiled to himself and continued brushing, travelling higher and higher. He realized the closer he got to the top, the less loose scales there were.

“It’s tiring to do the bottom half,” Atem said lazily, eyeing the brush that grazed suggestively over his hip again. “It’s strenuous, isn’t it? You’ve already done that spot.”

 _I know_ , Kaiba thought darkly, and a tanned hand reached out to grab him by the tie, pulling him close, their noses almost touching.

“We’re finished. Now we play,” Atem said happily, aching for some entertainment. “Go on, take off your protective layers and let me watch.”

“Give me a fucking second,” Kaiba breathed, his heart thundering rapidly in his chest, and he jerked back forcefully out of the merman’s grasp. “I need to preserve these.”

He dropped the brush on the ground and swept the scale-laden tray up in his arms before hurrying out of the basement, slamming the door behind himself with a loud bang.

Atem blinked, his heart sinking when he found himself alone in the room again.

His tail felt wonderfully light and refreshed, but the human had just…run away.

Growing angry and impatient, he crossed his arms firmly. He would stay dry on the edge until the human came back.

Upstairs, Kaiba ran into the kitchen and hastily poured the scales into a large plastic bag. He sealed the top and loudly called for Isono.

Footsteps came pattering into the kitchen and Mokuba came running, throwing his arms around his waist in a tight hug, almost toppling him over.

“Seto! You’re home—ick, you’re wet!” Mokuba cried, pulling away from his brother and gazing down at his shirt. “Now I’m wet! Ugh.”

“Look at this,” Kaiba said triumphantly, showing Mokuba the plastic bag filled with scales, and his brother wrinkled his nose. “Ew, what is that? They smell.”

“Dead scales from his tail,” Kaiba said readily, and his manservant appeared in the doorway, bowing deeply.

“Master Kaiba, welcome back.”

“Deliver these to the lab,” Kaiba ordered, placing the wet bag of scales on the kitchen counter and shivering from the cold. “Now. Before the temperature changes. They need them fresh for best results.”

“Can I go? Please, please?” Mokuba begged, his eyes shining with hope. “I wanna see what else you’ve been doing!”

“Sure, but be good,” Kaiba said shakily, wondering if he really was dismissing his own brother so he could peacefully fuck the merman downstairs without being heard or disturbed…not that they’d ever find out he was doing such a thing.

Mokuba cheered and followed Isono to the front door. Kaiba listened until he heard the door slam before he headed back down to his basement lab.

Atem listened intently, hearing footsteps approaching the door, and he breathed a sigh of relief. Good, the human was coming back to keep him company.

Even if there was going to be no playtime, his company was welcome. Everything was terribly boring when there was nothing to do.

Kaiba stepped into the basement and shut the door quietly, noticing that the merman was still sitting on the edge, waiting for him expectantly.  
Seeing him there felt really weird.

The merman smiled handsomely at him, flashing a row of brilliant white teeth, “I’m bored.”

“You say that a lot,” Kaiba said under his breath, slowly shrugging his blazer off and draping it over the chair, cursing internally when he saw he had forgotten the dried scales on the table.

“You’re really hard to distract,” Atem frowned, “Stop thinking about those disgusting scales and look at me.”

Kaiba gazed listlessly at the merman, wondering if he was walking himself towards his doom. Atem was charming and pretty. Two of his main weaknesses.

“I want to see you take off your layers,” Atem declared, thinking that would be a fun sight to see. “Right now. Do it right now.”

“You’re fucking demanding, you know that?” Kaiba shot back, throwing his tie down on top of his blazer defiantly.

“Watching humans disrobe has always been a favorite pastime of mine,” Atem answered playfully, “It’s fascinating to watch. Each human does it differently depending on the garment.”

“Yeah, that’s kind of how clothes work,” Kaiba rolled his eyes, unbuttoning his shirt and wondering if he had gone crazy. Was he really giving this merman a free strip show?

“A new phrase!” Atem crowed, his violet eyes gleaming with mischief. “Strip show! Explain what that is.”

Kaiba stared at the merman, dumbfounded. S-Seriously?!

“Yes, yes,” Atem said absently, leaning back on his elbows and throwing Kaiba an alluring smile. “You get to sample all of my things, my scales, my venom…so you must teach me human phrases in return. This way we both learn, and I love learning.”  
  
Kaiba stared at the merman and didn’t move. This was ridiculous. He was not participating in this.

“I won’t ask about it anymore,” Atem said hastily to keep Kaiba from running away again. “I was just teasing. Come, sit here with me. I’ve sorely missed a good conversation.”

Kaiba swallowed thinly, fully aware what the ramifications of “sit with me” entailed.

His phone buzzed in his pocket, saving him, and he quickly dug it out to answer it, turning away from the merman, his cheeks burning hot.

Atem glared at the human’s back and curled his fists in frustration.

“Mr. Kaiba, we’ve received the second batch of skin samples,” said one of his female lab technicians. “And calling to report our findings about the rock. We can’t do much with it. But it is quite pretty. We can give you a more comprehensive overview when you come in tomorrow.”

“Send the ring back with the stone attached,” Kaiba said stiffly, and he hung up, his stomach churning with nervousness.

The stones with the blue cores were useless.

“Bad news?” Atem asked lightly, seeing Kaiba’s aura darken visibly with every passing second. He had heard the passing thought about the dragon’s gems being useless, and it made his spirits soar.  
This meant the human no longer sought the rare stones. Crisis averted.

Kaiba nodded stiffly, tossing his phone onto the chair along with his blazer and tie, his eyes burning strangely.  
  
He had almost gone bankrupt for a stupid rock!  
But on the bright side….

Kaiba gazed restlessly at the merman, whose upper body was now completely dry from having been sitting on the edge for the past hour.

He had netted himself a beautiful merman who shed extraordinary scales.

Atem narrowed his eyes at the human, hearing another compliment from the man’s thoughts.

“I don’t understand you, Seto Kaiba,” Atem said finally, thinking he would give up on playtime and roll himself back into the water for a nap. “You refuse to play with me, even though you intend on releasing me soon. Do you know how to have fun?”

Kaiba grit his teeth, feeling himself sweat.  
He was still waiting on the semen results from the other lab, because he wasn’t sure if the merman’s semen would be harmful—  
  
“You’re doing it again,” Atem rolled his eyes and slipped the end of his tail back into the water languidly. “We’re done here. You may leave.”  
  
“I know how to have fun,” Kaiba answered heatedly, hearing the merman laugh at him and throw him a condescending look.

“Then why are you still standing there?” Atem asked ruefully, giving his tale a sensual wave. “Come on.”

Kaiba felt his head rush strangely and his ears rang sharply while his legs moved on their own, walking to the merman and kneeling beside him, pulling him into a deep kiss.

Pleased and excited, Atem threw his arms around Kaiba’s neck and held on tightly, enjoying the way his hands slid roughly up and down the sides of his body.

Kaiba winced slightly the moment his knees hit the wet floor beside Atem’s tail, and he could feel the cold water seeping quickly up through his pants, but he ignored it. Atem’s heated lips on his own became the only sensation he could focus on and his head swam with arousal.  
This merman was a skilled kisser.

Atem strained upwards, his neck aching, wishing the human would come closer, so he snuck his hands through the back of Kaiba’s luscious brown hair and gave it a demanding tug.

Kaiba pulled away breathlessly, gazing deeply into Atem’s fiery violet eyes before throwing caution to the wind and deciding to straddle the merman. The air was knocked from Atem’s lungs as the human climbed nimbly on top of him and sat down heavily on his tail, leaning forward to continue kissing him, his hot tongue sending a warm shiver of pleasure down his chest.  
Excited, Kaiba grazed his knuckles against Atem’s toned abdomen, deeply enjoying every muscled ridge he passed before stopping at a familiar spot below his navel.

This time, Atem’s length had emerged without coaxing and Kaiba’s stomach still churned with unease the moment he felt the heated wetness curling underneath his palm.

He glanced down at it bravely, his throat tightening with a mixture of arousal and fear at the way the sharp tentacle curled upwards and downwards.  
That still took some getting used to.

Tanned arms shot forward and tugged insistently at his belt, and Atem threw him a mischievous smile. “Just like before. Take it out so we can feel good together.”

Blinking rapidly, Kaiba obeyed with numb fingers, hastily unbuckling his belt and sliding his pants down across his hips, his skin burning from the merman’s erotic gaze.

Atem’s angular eyes widened with glee when he realized there was no second protective layer, and he found himself staring at a neat patch of pubic hair peeking out underneath the strange V-shaped slit.

“This is fascinating.” Atem grinned, gently sifting his fingers through the hair and catching a heated stream of embarrassed thoughts from the human sitting above him.

 _Christ, can he stop touching it like that?_  
Fucking embarrassing as shit.  
I should’ve shaved it completely if I had known he was going to make comments about it—

“I like this,” Atem said feverishly, slipping his hand dangerously lower, and his fingertips grazed something hard and warm. “I haven’t seen you up close yet.”

Kaiba swallowed thinly and inched his pants all the way down to his knees, his cheeks burning hotter than ever at the expression Atem wore when he stared intently at his erection.

Atem reached for it and wrapped his hand around the heated length, breathless with excitement, and he glanced down at his own member, feeling a rush of desire. He gave Kaiba’s dick a nice long stroke and gave the end a playful downward tug to meet his own.

Holding his breath, Kaiba watched with rising horror and incredulity as Atem’s tentacle came rising up to meet his, the tip giving his own tip a wonderfully lewd swirl, sending a violent jolt of electricity running up and down his legs.

H-Holy shit.

Nervous but excited, Kaiba wedged himself down lower, inching forward and hearing Atem’s breaths grow shallow while his tentacle found his stiff shaft and wrapped thickly around it in a happy greeting. It began coiling around him, tightening with arousing force while giving him encouraging up and down pumps.

 _Amazing,_ Kaiba thought faintly to himself, feeling lightheaded and dizzy with happiness. It was like a tongue and a hand had merged together and was continuously pleasuring his lower body without pause, sometimes moving lower along his shaft to give his balls a playful prod before loosening its grasp and giving his entire shaft a heated upwards stroke.

Wet at the tip, Kaiba’s knees were trembling in an effort to stay upright, and Atem paid this no mind. The merman stared intently at his own tentacle, watching it uncurl from around the human’s cock and slide sensually lower, giving the testicles a vicious rub, and the texture sent a wonderful jolt of fire searing up his body, causing him to shiver happily and close his eyes.

Kaiba tensed, panicking slightly when the tentacle seemed unsatisfied with his front.

It was beginning to travel lower and lower, farther up along his backside, and he leaned forward anxiously, no longer able to think straight when Atem’s arms came curling around his shoulders and a warm tongue shoved thickly through the fronts of his teeth, giving the roof of his mouth a ticklish swirl while the heated tentacle underneath him gave him another violently pleasurable rub and slid roughly over his hole before retracting quickly to prod messily at the space underneath his balls.

Kaiba grit his teeth so hard, he saw green, and warm hands cupped his face. Atem’s eyes were dark with lust and his lips shining wet with their saliva barely moved when he spoke, “Is it true? I can put myself somewhere inside you?”

Blinking rapidly, Kaiba could barely hear his own thoughts through the waves of searing fire assaulting his body every time the tentacle made a rough up and down the entire length of his groin.  
W-What a feeling!  
A giant tongue was eating him out from underneath, snaking around his dick and curling around it tightly to give it a tight squeeze before licking down his entire crack, leaving him shaking and shuddering for more.

“Seto Kaiba, answer me,” Atem said weakly, unsure if he could hold out any longer. The human’s thoughts were wandering so far, hearing them almost made him want to wet himself with joy. The human was enjoying it very much it seemed!

Kaiba grimaced as another wave of heat threatened to consume him, and he held his breath, forcing himself to calm down while he reached a hand down to guide Atem’s length towards his hole, feeling his hand slipping strangely on the odd lubricant that was coming from the base of the tentacle.

Atem blinked and felt the human sit upright higher along his body, causing his confusion to rise. Before long, the tip of his arousal found a tight, clenching hole, and Atem reached up to grip Kaiba by the arms, holding him down in place on top of him, gazing intently up into his eyes, amazed at the expression the human was currently making.

His pale cheeks were tinted cherry red, and his eyes were closed with his mouth slightly parted while he panted shallowly, his elbows trembling with enormous effort as he spoke, “It-It goes in…there.”

Gleeful and triumphant, Atem curled himself forward and pressed his lips tightly against the human’s neck, giving him a playful bite before shoving himself upwards directly into the delightful heat, feeling the hole clench deliciously down around him with such tightness, it made his head spin.  
This was…the inside of a human!  
It was hot, and impossibly supple, almost as if the hole was sucking him in willingly.  
Lost in the alien sensations of pleasure, Atem pulled Kaiba close against his chest and began to fuck him in earnest.

Kaiba let out a strangled gasp the moment Atem entered him with extreme ease, and his mind went blank, his vision turning white as the tentacle began thrusting into him violently, stretching him warmly the deeper it went, curling up against his stomach, sending him into a blind frenzy.  
Amazing. This was purely amazing.

He was dimly aware of his own lewd gasps echoing around in the basement every time Atem stayed deep inside of him, hitting a strange, high point below is navel, the hot length filling him up to the brim and wrenching an orgasm from his core, his body shaking uncontrollably when the tentacle extracted itself to thud heavily along his rim to give his balls another rough knead.  
It caused a sharp jolt of pain which shocked him to his senses.

Clenching emptily around nothing, Kaiba gripped Atem’s shoulders furiously and shuddered pleasurably, hating that the length was no longer inside.

“Put it…back,” Kaiba growled, his head swimming with a dull haze, and warm lips pressed tightly up against his own, silencing him effectively while Atem’s hands wrapped warmly around his dick to give the sensitive tip another rub.

“But we’ve already finished,” Atem protested, wondering if the human really was demented. He grazed his hand down Kaiba’s muscular chest, enjoying the smooth curves. “You want to go a second time right now? I was trying to be gentle.”

 _No, you idiot_ , Kaiba breathed heavily, at a loss for words. He thunked his head down on Atem’s shoulder, his heart pounding thickly in his ears while the blood came rushing back to his head in a sudden wave, making him dizzy.

 If that was tame sex, Kaiba didn’t want to know what rough sex would be like with Atem.

Fading in and out of consciousness, Kaiba shivered from the cold, half-aware that he was somehow fully naked, still straddling the merman’s tail.

“Human…are you alright?” Atem cried, giving Kaiba’s shoulder a rough shake. “…Kaiba!”

Kaiba pried his eyes open with an enormous effort and leaned heavily forwards to kiss the merman, pushing him down onto the marble tiles and gazing lustfully down at him.

“That was amazing,” Kaiba said seriously, and Atem smiled charmingly up at him, his violet eyes sparkling mysteriously.  
Fucking unreal and pretty.

“Then recover, and we’ll try a different way,” Atem replied, his heart leaping for joy inside his chest.  
The gods had somehow answered his prayers. This human was marvelous.

* * *

**Author’s note:**  
  
another lewd chapter. Kaiba realizes how much fun it is to fuck w a tentacle dick and lets off steam. Atem is happy and aware of the situation knowing mahad is near, and kaiba’s thoughts say he’s going to be released soon anyway, so he’s having some fun.

edited by setokaibaes

leave a review! lmk your thoughts on where this story is going uwu :D

hugs,  
Ugli


	8. you won't believe me

Kaiba silenced his alarm and rolled over in bed, staring up at the ceiling, his mind oddly clear and his body strangely relaxed.

Maybe it was just his imagination, but the sex sessions with the merman were refreshing in more ways than one. 

His phone was still buzzing, and Kaiba shut his eyes tightly, reaching for it again and holding it in front of his nose, seeing an unknown number flashing across his screen.

He sat up quickly and answered it, hearing an unfamiliar, deep male voice addressing him by full name.

“Seto Kaiba.”

Kaiba frowned. How did this stranger get his personal number?

“It is I, Mahad,” said the voice, and Kaiba gripped his sheets tightly, his heart rate shooting up through the ceiling.

“I have a gift for you, the one we agreed upon. Meet me on the beachfront. The address is…”

 _Oh damn,_ Kaiba thought nervously, knowing it was too late to refuse the “gift”.  
The stones were useless to him. Scales were what mattered now.  
Also, he had just had amazing, mind blowing, life-changing sex with Atem.  
There was no way he was releasing Atem after something like that.

“Are you listening?” Mahad fumed on the other end, hearing only silence as a response. Was the human chanting nonsense in his brain again?

“Yes, and…” Kaiba paused, making sure to sound as shaken as he possibly could. “We need to meet now. There’s something you forgot to mention about your _cousin_.”

Mahad’s blood ran cold at these words and he gave Shadi an uncertain look over his shoulder before answering the human. “We will talk in person. Come now.”

Kaiba hung up and threw the covers off himself, hurrying to get dressed.

There was a soft knock at his door, and Kaiba had just barely managed to buckle his belt before calling out to Isono, “Come in. What is it?”

“Master Kaiba.” Isono bowed stiffly and held a plastic bag containing the signet ring with both hands. “Young Mokuba was so interested in the work being done, we slept in the spare rooms at the lab. I hope you didn’t mind spending the night here alone.”

“It’s fine,” Kaiba growled, snatching the ring from his manservant, feeling his cheeks burning with arousal at the thought of Atem wrapped around him again. “I’ll bring the merman his breakfast today.”

Isono nodded plainly and watched the young CEO hurry out of the room.

* * *

Atem heard the wheels of the food cart coming through the hallway and he opened his eyes slowly, feeling oddly lethargic.

He was beginning to understand why sex with humans was explicitly forbidden.  
It was draining and made him lazy.

To his surprise, Seto Kaiba walked into the room, wheeling the food-laden cart, and Atem lit up, smiling at him languidly.

“Good afternoon, Seto Kaiba.”

“It’s morning,” Kaiba said stiffly, edging the cart towards the far end of the wall and leaving it parked there. “Early morning.”

Atem nodded sleepily and closed his eyes again, wondering if the human was up for another session. He looked refreshed, and his skin was glowing.

Kaiba set his briefcase down on the chair and began gathering the dry scales into another plastic container, hearing gentle, inviting splashes behind him.

“Human…do you want to play before you leave?” Atem asked sleepily.  
What exciting new sexual wonders did the human have for him today?  
 It seemed that every time they connected, each time was more intense than the last, and Atem loved it.

Sealing the bag, Kaiba tossed it into his briefcase before turning around and seeing the water emitting soft curls of steam. His face burned with anticipation.  
Oh, how considerate.  
But he had an urgent meeting.  
But…the water was warm, and Atem was smiling at him so sweetly, it was hard to resist.

Atem continued to smile, hearing Kaiba’s thoughts loud and clear.

Kaiba shut his briefcase with a click and sighed.

 He walked towards the pool with almost too much eagerness, his conscience yelling at him to stop, but he had already kicked off his shoes and sat down at the edge, sinking his legs into the steaming water, enjoying the way it stung his calves.

His pants quickly absorbed the water and grew heavy.

“You look nice today,” Atem said silkily, leaning against one of Kaiba’s knees and running his hand up and down his clothed thigh, wetting the fabric so quickly, the color darkened.

Kaiba nodded silently, his thoughts focused on one thing: the intense, mind-bending pleasure from the heated tentacle.

Atem laughed, the sound echoing pleasantly around him and Kaiba bravely eased off the edge and sank into the water, attempting to wrap his arms around Atem’s shoulders, but to his dismay, the merman dodged him nimbly, still laughing.

“Can you swim?” Atem asked playfully, and he saw the human’s face twitch in annoyance. Was that a yes or a no?

Not in the mood to play hard-to-get, Kaiba lunged at Atem and wrapped his legs firmly around his waist, bobbing lightly in the water and enjoying the hard smoothness beneath him. He pressed a tight kiss against his tanned ear and gave it a playful bite, feeling the merman shiver happily.

“Do it quick. I have to go,” Kaiba demanded, and to his delight, the merman nodded and obliged.

This time, Atem found it was easier to disrobe the human. After all, he had been receiving so much practice.

He unbuckled the belt with ease and tossed it aside, working the buttons, amazed to feel a hardness there already waiting for him.

“Why are you so eager today, Seto Kaiba?” Atem asked suspiciously, wondering if it was in this human’s master plan to drain him of all energy for the rest of his stay.

Kaiba grinned handsomely and held on tighter to Atem, leaning in to kiss him gently, enjoying the soft plumpness of his lips for a lingering moment before pulling away to answer him, “You’ve converted me.”

“Converted?” Atem echoed, mildly confused while his lips stung pleasantly from the residual sensations of their kiss. “I don’t know what you mean.”

“I mean, you’ve changed my mind,” Kaiba said hastily, baring his teeth and giving the soft flesh on Atem’s neck a firm, loving bite. “I like you. It feels amazing, so much that I’ll never want to stop.”

Atem laughed nervously, and turned his head away slightly, his stomach clenching and curling at the way Kaiba’s tongue flicked in and out over his skin, tasting him.  
Oh no…what if he had messed up?

“You’re still planning on letting me go, right?” the merman asked faintly, his resolve slipping when Kaiba’s slender fingers slid suggestively over his slit and gave him a rough rub, sending a jolt of fiery pleasure shuddering up his spine, and Atem closed his eyes, riding it out and willing himself to remain composed.

“Shut up about that,” Kaiba breathed, giving the merman’s slit another rough rub, up and down. “Take it out and fuck me senseless with it.”

Atem blinked rapidly, his heart clenching at Kaiba’s dirty words.

“Don’t forget your place, human,” Atem said nervously, his tongue twisting on his own words while his arousal throbbed excitedly. “What will you give me in return?”

Kaiba tightened his legs around Atem’s waist, his boner already leaking and aching in the hot water. Fucking come on…! Seriously?!

“Yes, I’m serious,” Atem said, with renewed conviction, and he ran his hands up and down along the human’s clothed legs, which were wrapped so firmly around his waist. “You’re still wearing this protective layer here…”

Kaiba released Atem and kicked his pants off with practiced ease, stepping on the hems and freeing each of his legs before forcefully wrapping himself back around the merman’s body and grinning impishly at him.

“How about a ring?” Kaiba suggested, running his hand down Atem’s bare chest and palming his nipple playfully.  “Your royal ring, the one that came off of Mahad’s finger.”

“You killed him?!” Atem gasped, horrified, and he briefly considered pushing the human off of him, before the human laughed loudly, sending a wonderful shiver up his arms.

“No, you idiot,” Kaiba said pleasantly, nuzzling his nose into the base of Atem’s spiky blond bangs. “He gave it to me in a gesture of good faith so that I’d find and release you. You can have it back. Check my pocket.”

Atem patted Kaiba’s blazer and his fingers closed around a plastic bag.

He pulled it out and stared incredulously at Mahad’s golden ring sitting the clear folds and he gripped it tightly, his heart pounding.  
Mahad…had given this human his signet ring as a gesture of good faith.  
His bodyguard really put this much trust into Seto Kaiba?

“I paid, now fuck me,” Kaiba demanded, tightening his grip around Atem’s neck and feeling incredibly pent up. “Harder than before.”  
  
Atem curled the ring in his fist and stuffed it back into Kaiba’s pocket, surging forward with enthusiasm and pressing Kaiba up against the wall, baring his fangs and resisting the urge to sink them into his soft flesh.

He recalled hearing a rumor that if one fed on human blood while mating, the energy he’d receive would be limitless, but it was considered blasphemous.

Kaiba shivered and shut his eyes, his mind humming with excitement the moment he felt sharp fangs graze across his skin. Was he going to be bitten? It would feel amazing, right? Some pain along with all this pleasure was definitely welcome.

Atem tensed and held back with an enormous effort, his head spinning as he wondered if Kaiba was insane.

The human was asking to be bitten?

Burying the sinful thought, Atem uncurled his length, prodding it tentatively underneath Kaiba’s soft testicles, and shoved himself upwards into Kaiba’s tight, clenching hole, reveling in the sweet heat that enveloped him steadily.

Kaiba gasped and stiffened, caught off guard by the sudden penetration, his rim stretching painfully as his back scraped against the wall. Never in his life had he wished to be a in a bed more than he did now. The intense pleasure was overwhelming, making it hard to breathe every time Atem thrust into him passionately, and his fingers slipped wetly on Atem’s shoulders.

Atem shivered happily, feeling himself sinking slightly due to Kaiba’s weight around his body and he braced himself on the wall, placing his hands down on either side of Kaiba’s body and leaning into him heavily, his stomach twisting and curling pleasurably with every sharp gasp Kaiba made, and the throbbing heat from where they were connected burned with a strange fire.

Kaiba shut his eyes and threw his head back, his heels slipping dangerously down Atem’s bare back, but strong arms held him afloat while he was stretched thickly by the writhing tentacle, and after several more vigorous thrusts, Kaiba could no longer discern pleasure from pain. Everything melted together wonderfully, from the way Atem’s heated skin slid up against his to the passionate licks of the tentacle rising higher inside of him, causing his legs to tremble violently against his will as he came in a wrenching heave.

Atem kept his eyes open, drinking in the marvelous sight beneath him, his vision fading in and out as Kaiba’s hole clenched deliciously around his dick and milked him steadily, clamping down around him so tight, his entire lower body became numb, causing him to cum thickly in Kaiba’s ass. With his lips pressed firmly against Kaiba’s parted ones in a hurried kiss, Atem sank beneath the water steadily, letting the warmth envelop them from the shoulders up.  
  
Atem ached to steal the human away and curl up with him on soft sand at the bottom of the ocean, because their standing-floating-while-making-love technique was quite exhausting.

Kaiba’s eyes shot open the second water passed the tip of his ears, and he froze, thumping his fists frantically against Atem’s back. Suffocating. Drowning. Resurface please.

Quickly realizing his mistake, Atem surfaced, and felt Kaiba pull away from him with a gasping heave.

Water dripped handsomely down his face and his light brown hair matted prettily against his cheeks.

“I’m sorry,” Atem breathed, reaching forward to brush a strand of hair away from Kaiba’s forehead. “Are you alright?”

Kaiba coughed lightly, his eyes and nose stinging from the salt water as he nodded. His ass throbbed strangely, and he grew hot all over when he realized Atem was still inside of him. He shifted uncomfortably, feeling the tentacle curl playfully against the edge of his rim, giving his insides a fiery lick.

He let out a startled yell which was drowned by Atem’s hearty laugh, and the merman grinned mischievously at him, his violet eyes shining with mirth. “Remember previously, you said not to take it out.”

“Take it out…before I die,” Kaiba breathed, closing his eyes and feeling a pounding headache coming on. Amazing. A sex headache.

Atem gently extracted himself from the human and helped him sit up on the edge, eyeing him with pity when he shivered visibly again.

“You should have something here to help you dry off,” Atem said, wondering if the human was able to walk, and he watched Kaiba point shakily at the bottom of the pool.

“My clothes…please.”

“Of course.” Atem smiled sweetly and dove to the bottom, quickly retrieving the clothes and pushing them to the surface, dragging them heavily across the water towards the human.

“Great,” Kaiba cursed his own stupidity under his breath.  
Time to walk through the house naked for a dry change of clothes.  
He shakily rose to his feet and stumbled to the door, hearing the merman call after him.

“Bring spare coverings here next time!”

Atem sighed and listened to the door slamming in response.

Now feeling unnaturally weak, Atem rested his head against the edge, his head spinning and his breathing too light. There was a strange pain tugging in his chest and Atem ignored it, sinking beneath the surface and sitting at the very bottom.

He recognized these symptoms.  
It was illness from lack of pressure.  
He needed to be back in deep water as soon as possible.

Upstairs, Kaiba hastily stepped out of the hot shower and got dressed again, making sure to throw his sopping wet clothes into the sink.

Why did he even bother getting dressed the first time around when he went down there?

Irritated at himself, Kaiba checked his reflection in the mirror one last time before rushing out of the room and back down to the basement.

Atem heard footsteps approaching the edge of the pool and he didn’t surface.

Kaiba frowned, slowly sweeping his briefcase and phone off the plastic chair and called out to the merman, “I’m off to see your bodyguard. Anything you’d like me to pass along to him?”

Atem swallowed thinly and slowly rose to the surface, only popping his head up to say, “I’m getting sick. Lack of pressure from deep water is giving me shortness of breath and—”

“Yeah we get it, you’re unwell,” Kaiba snapped, his heart skipping several guilty beats as he turned to leave once more. “I’ll ask him where the safest place is to release you without being seen.”

Atem watched with a heavy heart as the human stormed off with an echoing bang of the door, and he sank slowly beneath the surface again.

To prolong his health, he would have to stay submerged in the water for as long as possible now, but knowing that the human was planning on releasing him soon, he felt better about his entire predicament.

* * *

Mahad paced the beach nervously, doing his best to shut out Shadi and Rishid’s bickering.

“We’ve kept ourselves hidden for centuries,” Shadi hissed angrily, “Why should we reveal ourselves to this human? Why is he different? How do we know he can even help us?”

“The human is powerful,” Rishid argued, “If he knows the truth, then we can save Atem sooner. It’s useless to keep secrets from someone who can help us.”

“Atem could be dead! He will be delivering us a dead body!”

“You should give up your place in his court for saying such things! Atem is alive!”

“Shut up, both of you!” Mahad whirled around to face the empty expanse of ocean behind him, hearing his own voice echoing back over the waves lapping at shore.

Rishid and Shadi glared at each other, leaning against the rock underneath the water.

A long black car parked just past a log fence on the roadside above them, and Mahad eyed the vehicle apprehensively from afar.

“He’s here,” he muttered to his companions underwater. “Shut up so I can concentrate.”

Kaiba stepped out of the car and swept his gaze down across the beach, spying one robed figure and two odd waves behind a large rock he was waiting beside.

It seemed Mr. Royal Bodyguard had brought two backup soldiers to ambush him in the water. Good thing he had parked up here for an aerial view of the beach before heading down blindly.  
These mermen were dangerous if Atem’s abilities were anything to go by.

He hurried down the side of the cliff following a thin trail, his shoes slipping terribly on the sand several times before he managed to reach the bottom, unscathed.

“Seto Kaiba!” Mahad called, raising his arm in an awkward greeting. “Let’s talk here.”

Kaiba stood stubbornly several feet away, calling back, “No thanks! You come here!”

Underneath the water, Shadi and Rishid gave each other an angry look before shouting at Mahad in their minds.

_“What an impudent human!”  
“Make him approach the shore so we can protect you if he poses a threat!”_

_“Shut…up,”_ Mahad breathed, willing his face to remain pleasant, and he waved again, managing a thin smile. “Please, let’s talk by the water. It’s more pleasant here.”

“No,” Kaiba said firmly, folding his arms across his chest and feeling his feet sinking deeper in the sand. “I’m not about to be ambushed by your two friends in the water. Do you think I’m an idiot?”

Mahad’s blood ran cold and heard simultaneous gasps of disbelief from Rishid and Shadi, their panicked cries echoing annoyingly in his ears.

_“You were right! He does know of our existence!”  
“We’ve been seen! We’ve been seen! How was he able to see us?”_

“Well?” Kaiba said loudly, his voice almost drowned by the sound of the waves. “I have your ring!”

He waved the plastic bag and the ring gleamed in the low afternoon sun.

“Approach us, and we won’t hurt you,” Mahad said with firm finality, and he mirrored Kaiba’s stance with his feet planted strongly apart. “You come here, or no deal.”

 _Fine, dammit,_ Kaiba growled, stalking towards the mermen and keeping his gaze on the large rock behind his back. Maybe his two friends were waiting behind there with harpoon guns or something. He was outnumbered here anyway.

Besides, he was no use to them if he was dead.

Mahad eyed the approaching human apprehensively. They stared each other silently for a long moment before Kaiba spoke first, handing him a sealed bag containing his signet ring.

“I did my tests, and I want to amend our agreement,” Kaiba said stiffly, watching the merman snatch his ring back and slip it onto his finger, looking relieved.

“You said you would melt it down,” Mahad breathed, gazing at the ring on his hand, his heart calming down steadily. He had lost a good night’s sleep over this, thinking that the ring really had been lost.

“When the fuck did I say that?” Kaiba smirked, eyeing the tall rock again and watching the merman’s face remain blank.

“You said it to me in your mind,” Mahad replied bluntly, and Kaiba rolled his eyes, pressing on with his own agenda.

“I found your little spoiled prince. He’s being kept in a lab by a rival company,” Kaiba lied smoothly. There was a deep truth to the lie.

“You neglected to mention that he had a fish’s tail. Breaking him out is going to be difficult. You’re asking me to commit a crime—several crimes.”

Mahad heard Rishid and Shadi gasp again and shout at him from the water.

_“So he knows! Can we reveal ourselves?!”  
“But is Atem alive?! Ask for proof!”_

“Okay…first of all, shut up!” Mahad roared, turning to face the rock.

Kaiba blinked, taken aback by the sudden outburst, but he felt a smile tugging at the corners of his own mouth. The other two were probably giving him hell.

“And show me proof,” Mahad growled, facing Kaiba once more, and Kaiba was ready for this.

He pulled out his phone and showed the merman photos taken from the security feed in his own lab before Atem had destroyed the glass tank, even showing the blurry image of a hand coming towards the camera out of murky water.

“H-He’s alive!” Mahad cried, grabbing the phone from Kaiba and rushing to the water’s edge. “Come here, you idiots. Have your proof.”

Kaiba watched with rising amusement as two heads surfaced and circled the rock. He studied their faces intently. Dark skin, and angular eyes. One man had a tattoo of scripture down one side of his face, and the other was wearing obnoxiously large hooped earrings.

“He looks like he’s suffering,” Shadi said angrily, giving the handsome human on shore a suspicious glare after seeing the image of Atem sitting lifeless against the edge of the small tank in shallow, murky water.

“Why are these photos taken from the air?” Rishid added, his confusion rising, and to Kaiba’s relief, Mahad explained for him.

“Humans have cameras in the sky. But as for how Seto Kaiba obtained images from these cameras…” Mahad threw the human a suspicious look over his shoulder and Kaiba called back lazily, “I stole them! So I’ve already committed one crime trying to find him!”

“Tell me the location,” Mahad said furiously, advancing on the human and gripping the phone tightly in his hands. “I will go in there and retrieve him myself.”

“Right, and you’ll end up in a tank too. Brilliant plan,” Kaiba smirked, and he saw the two mermen behind him disappear behind the rock again. “If you’re patient, I can break him out.”

“There’s no time! He’s dying!” Mahad fumed, pointing at the photo on the phone with a shaking finger. “His skin is dull. He’s sitting in a puddle of his own waste. This is humiliating.”

“I know the man in charge,” Kaiba answered smoothly, holding his hand out for his phone. “I can make him an offer he can’t resist. I’ll buy him and release him to you.”

“Buy him!” Mahad cried, hearing similar shocks of displeasure from his two comrades behind him. “Is he being sold?!”

“Not yet,” Kaiba growled, clenching his fists tightly at his sides, his heart pounding terribly in his chest. “I’ll get my hands on him before that happens. But I’ll need your cooperation.”

“Right, your payment, our cooperation,” Mahad said hurriedly, reaching into the pocket of his robes and holding out a large stone with a glowing blue core, his hands visibly shaking. “…Our promise.”

“Yeah, I don’t need that anymore,” Kaiba said lazily, waving it away and pocketing his phone quickly. “I want your dead scales.”

There was a long silence where only the crashing of the waves on shore rang out between them, and Shadi was the first to speak up, whispering to Mahad.

_“How…does he know about that?”_

Ignoring the comment, Mahad agreed readily. “Dead scales. Agreed.”

“No, you didn’t hear the rest of my demand,” Kaiba said, his teeth flashing white in a half-grimace. “I want an endless supply of dead scales, for the rest of the foreseeable future. Those are my conditions for freeing the prince.”

Mahad blinked rapidly, wondering what he was agreeing to. How would they even begin to do that? It would mean continuous contact with a human!

“He is a _king,_ not a prince, and we do not agree to those terms,” Shadi said deeply, showing his face from behind the rock again, glaring at the human. “If that is your clever method to remain in contact our people, we do not want any part of that.”

“I don’t need to see your ugly faces,” Kaiba sneered in response, and he felt the merman standing beside him stiffen angrily. “Just deliver them to shore. Toss them up or something. Leave them on the rock and fuck off.”

“Excuse me for interjecting, but that is a disgusting request,” Rishid chimed in unhelpfully from behind Shadi, folding his arms and leaning his back against the rough rock. “What on earth are you planning on doing with our sheddings?”

“Not important!” Mahad snapped, secretly relieved that the human’s demands had changed from precious stones to something easily procured in abundance.

“Do we have a deal?” Kaiba asked, his fingertips tingling with excitement. “Are you men of your word? Because if you anger me, I’ll be the most dangerous enemy you’ll wish you’d never—”

“Save your threats human, we know,” Shadi interrupted, moving closer to shore and itching to wring the human’s neck. “You have metal ships in the water too. Mahad here has told us of your expeditions.”

“I don’t know what the fuck you’re talking about,” Kaiba sneered, “My ships have been picking up garbage.”

There was a long silence, and Rishid tentatively poked his head out from behind the rock, his eye wide, “I’ve seen the ships that do that—”

“Shut up,” Mahad hissed again, his cheeks burning. So perhaps this human was their friend after all, but something still felt off about him.

“Fine, human, let’s make a blood pact,” Shadi suggested nastily, and Mahad turned to give him a terrified look, shaking his head angrily. “No, no, we will not do that.”

“Yes, we will!” Shadi argued back, rising higher and higher out of the water, no longer caring if the human saw his lower half. “I don’t trust this human, and neither should you. Atem’s life depends on it.”

“I agree to the pact,” Kaiba said lightly, examining his nails with his heart pounding thickly in his chest. “Repeat after me: I will give you dead scales forever until the end of time. At least, until the end of your time. They don’t have to come from you. Scales from any mermaid will do.”

“Reverse that wording, you devil-tongued sea urchin,” Shadi growled, pointing coldly at him. “Dead scales will be delivered to you until _your_ death.”

“My company will keep living on even after my death,” Kaiba said, his eyes gleaming. “It’s my legacy. So as long as my name is alive, I’ll never die. Sure, make a pact like that.”

All three mermen fell silent, and Mahad narrowed his eyes at Seto Kaiba, thinking that Shadi was right.

This human, however helpful, could not be trusted, but blood pacts were a dangerous practice, even amongst mermen.  
  
They just had to hope for the best and place their faith in Seto Kaiba’s word.

“We will make the deal when you’ve managed to release Atem,” Mahad said finally, and Shadi nodded in silent agreement behind him.

Kaiba felt his blood boil and he curled his fists at his sides, “I want something in return, immediately, or no deal.”

“Then….no deal.” Shadi answered haughtily. 

“NO!” Mahad cried, whirling around to glare at his comrade and then back at Seto Kaiba. “Fine, human, don’t listen to him. I will give you _my_ scales for as long as you keep requesting it. You must free Atem in return. I alone…”

Mahad turned to glare at Shadi again before facing Kaiba once more.

“I alone shall travel to shore to deliver you sacks filled with dead scales. What you do with them is none of my business.”

“That’s what I like to hear,” Kaiba said gleefully, managing a tight smile. Jackpot. “I’ll give you the address to my private beach. There will be a deposit area drilled into the rock for you, so you can stay underwater when you deliver the scales. Daily.”

“Daily?!”

Noises of shock and discontent rose up from behind the rock, and Mahad blinked incredulously at the human, his ears ringing with dread.

“Yeah,” Kaiba smirked, keeping his arms folded across his chest in a protective stance. “You shed daily, don’t you?”

“This human is the worst!” Rishid’s voice could be heard from behind the rock and Kaiba ignored it.

“Yes, but rising to shore _daily_ is unhealthy,” Mahad said stiffly, wondering if he was signing his soul away to the devil wearing human skin. “Weekly. And you will receive a pouch full of scales from the entire week.”

“No, Mahad! You’re foolish!” Shadi shouted over the sound of crashing waves.

 Mahad stood his ground, clenching his fists at his sides.  
For Atem.  
Anything…for Atem.  
This man could save Atem.  
If he agreed to these terms, Atem would return to them alive.

“Deal,” Kaiba said readily, reaching his hand out for a shake. “Forever, right? Even past my death. There will be someone present to collect the scales.”

“If you can manage that, then yes,” Mahad growled, reaching to grasp the human’s hand in his and giving it a firm squeeze. “Dead scales will be delivered to you until you have no need for them. Atem must come to us alive, or the deal is off.”

“I’ll do my best,” Kaiba replied coldly, withdrawing his hand quickly. “You want him on this shore, or on the shore of my private beach?”

“Your private property will be just fine, if you can guarantee his safety and the safety of the men in my pod,” Mahad said readily, somehow feeling as if he was losing for some reason.

“Double deal,” Kaiba grinned and turned to walk away, giving the merman a careless wave over his shoulder. “See you in a few days, but if you don’t hear from me, I’ve probably been arrested!”

All three mermen watched the human walk away blithely and climb the sandy cliff towards his car.

The door slammed and the car pulled away from the cliff’s edge, leaving nothing but the smell of exhaust in the air, mingling with the salty ocean spray.

Mahad stood silently in the sand, his eyes watering dangerously.

His companions behind him had resumed bickering and he shut them out completely.

Atem was still alive, and that was all that mattered.

* * *

**Author’s note:**  
  
Kaiba demands sexytime from atem and atem obliges but feels sick after because he’s getting the merman’s equivalent of altitude sickness.

Mahad makes a bad deal, and kaiba walks away the winner. A full sack of dead scales for a lifetime, but he has to release atem.

edited by:setokaibaes

[love,](http://uglifish.tumblr.com/links)  
[Ugli](http://uglifish.tumblr.com/links)


	9. please don't forget me

Atem woke up feeling dizzy and nauseous again.

He rose slowly to the surface and gazed at the food on the cart.

Bile rose quickly, and before he could stop himself, he vomited in the water.

Gasping for breath, Atem heaved himself out of the pool and lay weakly on the edge, waiting for the water to clear and filter through.

Ah…damn.  
How many days and nights had he been living in this tiny pool?

His lungs felt tight, as if a hand had reached down into his chest and was continuously squeezing. He was pretty sure all the vigorous sex with the human wasn't helping either.

A sour film stuck to the back of his throat and Atem shut his eyes, his heart rate increasing steadily.

 _I'm really dying_. Atem thought faintly, fading in and out of consciousness.

He heard soft footsteps approaching the door and he didn't move. The human needed to see him like this, lifeless and weak, with vomit in the water.

Mokuba poked at the code in the door, trying every combination he could think of before he finally got the right one. Ha! And Seto thought he could hide this room from him.

Snickering triumphantly to himself, he pulled the door open and dashed inside, skidding in his steps, shocked to see the merman lying lifelessly at the edge of the pool.

Mokuba rushed forward and held his breath fearfully, seeing a disgusting patch of greenish filth floating in the middle of the water, and his fear rose to an all-time high.

Was the merman bleeding?!

Atem heard the child's thoughts and turned his head slowly to gaze up at him. "…Like I said, child. I'm dying."

Hyperventilating, Mokuba dug his hand into his pocket and pulled out his phone, nervously dialing Seto's number.

Kaiba felt his phone buzzing in his pocket just as he exited the lab, and he fished it out to glance at the caller ID.  
Mokuba.

"What is it?" Kaiba answered smoothly, and Mokuba's panicked cries filled his ears.

"He's dying, Seto! Look at him!" Mokuba cried hysterically, jutting up and down on his toes, unsure of what to do with himself. "There's, like, gross blood or something in the water and he's just unconscious on the edge!"

There was a slight pause, and Mokuba shouted into the receiver. "He said it's vomit! He got sicker!"

Kaiba swallowed stiffly and whispered, "He was fine when I left him this morning."

"Well he's not fine now!" Mokuba wailed, kneeling beside Atem and gently helping him sit up. "He's awake. Hurry, Seto!"

Atem reached out to grasp the child's hand in his, gazing deeply into Mokuba's large grey eyes and nodding approvingly at him. "Good. It's not too late."

"Okay," Mokuba said tearfully, holding onto the merman's hand with all his might, feeling it weaken alarmingly in his grasp. "Seto finished cleaning all the garbage around your home! You'll have a clean home when you get back!"

Atem smiled half-heartedly. This child meant well.

There was a loud clattering coming from the hallway, and a group of men in suits burst into the basement, wheeling a gurney.

Mokuba stepped away respectfully to let them lift the merman onto it to wheel him out of the room. He glanced at the stack of jewelry sitting in the far corner of the pool and he hurried over to retrieve it.

If he remembered correctly, the merman had been wearing these upon his arrival.

* * *

Kaiba gripped the wheel tightly and sped down the narrow highway towards his private beach.

Atem was right. He had failed.  
He had barely managed to keep him alive for "one moon cycle".

It had only been a week and a half at most, and Atem was already vomiting.

The thing he couldn't replicate in a basement pool was water pressure.  
Damn.  
So the shallow pool had been a ploy.  
The merman had specifically asked to be housed in a shallow pool so he'd get sick enough to be released.

 _I've been outsmarted,_ Kaiba growled, flooring the pedal and watching the scenery whiz by in a blur.

It didn't matter. He'd got what he wanted. The scales. An endless, lifetime's supply of scales. His company would thrive after this, and he no longer needed to worry about bankruptcy.

Seeing his property rise into view, Kaiba sped up the hill and swerved dangerously on the road the closer he got to the ocean's edge.

He could see his men already gathered at the beachfront, with Atem on the gurney. He was late.

Parking the car haphazardly on the side of the road, Kaiba got out and slammed the door without bothering to shut off the engine.

"Seto!" Mokuba cried, waving frantically at his older brother from the water's edge. "He's coming, mermaid. You'll get to see him before you go."

"Let me up." Atem said weakly, and he felt the men unbuckling his restraints obediently.

Struggling to sit up, Atem took several deep breaths, his lungs constricting terribly even though they were so close to the water's edge. The salt in the air helped moisten his throat, but for some reason, breathing was still difficult.

"…He's…suffocating," Mokuba whimpered, wringing his hands anxiously as his older brother joined him at his side, breathless and panting.

"Dismissed…" Kaiba breathed, sending off his men and trying to compose himself at the same time.

Atem watched as the group of men bowed and shuffled off down the beach in an odd single file line, and he turned his attention back to the glittering sea shore.

The sun was setting magnificently across the horizon, tinting the water a stunning orange. Was this a dream? The human was releasing him!

He gazed at the Kaiba brothers, taking in their features one last time, feeling his heart ache. It was either from the sickness or from sadness. Both humans had been kind to him in their own selfish ways.

Kaiba stepped forward silently and lifted Atem off the rolling bed, gently carrying him to the water's edge, and Mokuba ran after them, his shoes squishing wetly in the sand.

Atem draped his arms warmly around the human's shoulders, appreciating the soft touch.  
Being carried like this was nice.  
Being with this human had been…nice.  
Their sexual playtime would live in his memory forever.

"Thank you," Atem said nervously, his voice almost drowned out by the rushing waves around Kaiba's ankles. Kaiba kept pushing forward steadily, taking long, awkward strides to avoid the impending waves until he stood waist deep in the freezing ocean water.

"You're not welcome," Kaiba replied coldly, his body numb with sorrow and disappointment.

This had been too quick, but it had been planned this way by the cunning merman.

"I'll give you a parting gift as thanks," Atem said playfully, leaning up to plant a warm kiss on Kaiba's chin, feeling his lips burn happily at the brief contact. "There. My debts all repaid. Drop me in the water now."

Kaiba tensed his jaw and felt his stomach churn terribly. Not even a real kiss.  
That was fine. This wasn't a special parting anyway.

Atem smirked, enjoying Kaiba's inner turmoil immensely.  
He had won.  
He had gotten this human to love him so much, that at a moment's notice upon the first sign of sickness, he was being released.

He felt the arms underneath his body loosen, and he waved his tail happily, gazing up into the human's clear blue eyes, which were burning strangely bright due to the orange setting sun before them.

"Go on, drop me," Atem said, giving Kaiba's neck a tight squeeze. "Goodbye, human. It was nice being with you."

Kaiba bit his tongue tightly and knelt in the waves, shivering violently from the cold. Atem's weight slipped easily from his arms and the merman kicked off, disappearing underneath a shallow wave, the glint from his red tail barely visible underneath the white foam.

Atem circled the shallow water, trembling with happiness and relief. He felt instantly better the second his skin touched real ocean water.

"Bye, Mr. Merman!" Mokuba cried, waving ecstatically behind Seto, oblivious to his distress. "See you never!"

Atem heard this and he mustered up the last of his strength to pull his body out of the water, doing a magnificent flip.

Kaiba sat down painfully in the water, his heart catching thickly in his throat, staring at the beautiful silhouette of the spiky-haired merman outlined against the setting sun, the tips of his spiky hair sparkling with stray drops of water, every curve of his muscular body poised gracefully in mid-air.  
Unreal.  
Absolutely magical.

Landing solidly back in the water with a splash, Atem stuck his arm out of the water and waved energetically, hearing the boy's laughter ringing from shore.

Satisfied, he swam off quickly and headed straight down for deeper waters, ignoring the pain still tugging deep inside his chest.

He was alive, and that was all that mattered. The pain would quickly vanish along with his shore-related illness.

On the beach, Kaiba found himself looking directly into the setting sun, causing his eyes to water uncontrollably.

He was crying.

"Seto…come on. I'm hungry!" Mokuba called, giving the wet sand an impatient kick. "We did a good deed. He's gonna be okay now."

Kaiba stayed sitting in the water, letting one thick wave after another lap up against his body.  
He didn't feel cold anymore.  
There was just a gut-wrenching pain in his chest and stomach.  
Why did it feel like he had just broken up with someone?  
Was he going insane or did a merman come into his life, charm him, and then dump him?

 _I'm…fucking stupid!_ Kaiba thought wildly, the tears still streaming uncontrollably down his face. _I'm in love with him!_

"Hey…Seto?" Mokuba called, clinking the merman's jewelry together awkwardly. "How do we give these back to him?"

Kaiba didn't answer.  
He no longer had a voice.  
In fact, it felt like he no longer had a heart or soul.

The merman had taken it with him when he disappeared beneath the foamy waves.

The reality of what he had just lost was sinking in steadily.

"S-Seto?" Mokuba cried anxiously, his concern rising higher and higher the longer his older brother continued to sit silently in the water, letting the waves almost drown him as they washed in.

Mokuba sighed. He set the jewelry down on the gurney and sat down in the sand, keeping his eye on Seto's back in the water.

He had seen the merman kiss Seto on the cheek for a millisecond.  
Seto was sad the merman had left.  
They had probably been close friends.

* * *

Atem could feel his strength returning tenfold the deeper he swam, and he paused midway, taking deep shuddering breaths.

Free at last! But without all his finery.

It was fine. Seto Kaiba could have it for all of his troubles.

Continuing on his way, Atem felt his limbs growing heavier with an odd sensation.

Guilt?

Shoving the feeling aside roughly, Atem barreled on forward, congratulating himself on his own cleverness.

The hemisphere of his kingdom was in sight, and he swam right through the protective barrier with ease, hearing excited shouts from the guards surrounding area.

Atem gazed down at the glittering rooftops of his kingdom, relieved to see that everything still looked the same.

The shell-covered rooftops gleamed in the low light, and he circled above the homes, letting the barrier guards surround him quickly with relief painted across their faces.

"Your Majesty!"  
"Your Highness!"  
"You look unwell! Praise Ahti! You're alive!"

Atem nodded weakly, at a loss for words, already feeling faint.

"Atem!" Mahad's deep voice rang out from a distance and Atem sank gratefully against the strong grip of the guard who was holding him steadily upright.

Shooting forward in the water, Mahad wrapped a protective arm around the king's shoulders and tugged him out of the guard's grasp. "I'll take him from here, thank you. Return to your posts."

Atem blinked slowly, the world spinning dangerously around him with each light breath. Why…did he still feel…sick?

"The change in pressure was too sudden," Mahad said stiffly, gently guiding Atem towards the palace. "Let's get you to a medic."

Nodding again, Atem let Mahad tug him forward, hearing cries of relief and joy from the merpeople beneath them as they passed over their roofs, their excited whispers reaching his ears.

 _"_ _He's been saved! Thank Suijin!"_  
"He looks unwell, but he's alive!"  
"The king is alive! See there! He's being carried by brave Mahad!"

"The human acted fast on his promise," Mahad growled, his blood boiling with a strange fire. "It seems we owe him a great debt."

Dizzy and lightheaded, Atem's mind spun with questions but his throat was so dry, he could barely speak.

They approached the palace gates and Mana came zooming out the front, throwing herself onto Atem and clinging onto him tightly.

"Atem!" she sobbed. Feeling how unnaturally cold and clammy his body was, she jerked back, shining tears pooling at the corners of her eyes.

"Y-You're so cold! Let's warm him up, hurry! Swim faster!" she cried, circling Mahad and tugging incessantly at his arm, dragging them both forward with surprising force. "Medic! Mediiiiic! Someone prepare an empty pod!"

Feeling dangerously weak, Atem shivered and managed a smile, but winced when his throat began chafing and burning with a terrible dryness.

He was gently drifted through the palace gates, down the hallways towards the medic's chambers, and on the way, they passed many concerned faces hovering around them.

Shadi swam ahead quickly, intent on getting to the medic's chambers first so he could confront Mahad on the suspicious timeline of the human's activities.

"Atem!" Mana shrieked, grabbing tightly onto his arm and giving him a rough shake. "He's unconscious...!"

"Come, hurry," Mahad urged, passing under the stone arch and gently pushing Atem's limp body into an empty membrane pod.

Mana pressed a hand to her mouth and gazed anxiously at the king floating lifelessly in the pod, his fingertips an odd greyish color.

The medic hurried towards them with her assistant close by her side, frowning with worry. "A bad case of shore-sickness, but he will be fine."

"Mahad, a word," Shadi growled, grabbing the advisor by his muscled arm and dragging him towards the chamber entryway, making sure to keep his voice low.

"The human said he needed a few _days._ We had just met with him this afternoon! The sun is just now setting. Does this not seem a bit suspicious to you?!"

Mahad jerked his arm out of Shadi's grasp and glared furiously.

"This human Seto Kaiba is particularly skilled in making deals with other humans," he fumed, wondering why Shadi was sounding so ungrateful. "On land, he has a kingdom of his own. If you had gone up with me, you would understand."

Mana listened to the men arguing from Atem's podside, wringing her hands with worry as the medic and her assistant worked quickly, taking his vitals.

"Is he going to wake up?" she whispered fearfully, and the medic turned to her with a kind smile.

"Yes. He's had something to eat, which is fortunate. But he needs a deep cleanse. We'll shut him in the pod so he can detoxify slowly."

Mana nodded anxiously, listening to Mahad and Shadi shout at each other.

"You promised him a lifetime of dead scales! Do you really intend to rise to shore every week? You'll kill yourself!"

"The human said anyone's scales would do! You could travel to shore in my place, you coward! We could take turns!"

"As if I would indulge in the human's petty demands for such a disgusting thing!"

"Then I will tell Atem!" Mahad said, finally losing the last of his patience. "He can issue a decree. Similar to how we discard of human litter, we will add scaling to the list."

Mana swam over to the men, her heart pounding nervously with curiosity. "What now? You want Atem to issue another shoreline decree?"

"Yes," Mahad answered firmly while Shadi cried out at the same time, "No!"

"I-I don't understand," Mana said shakily, and it grew silent behind her as the medic and her assistant also began to listen in.

"I'm going to advise Atem to add another clause," Mahad said coldly. "Stating that the volunteering merperson discarding litter to shore will also deposit dead scales on Seto Kaiba's private rock."

Shadi palmed his face heavily and turned away, the rage accentuated in the corners of his eyes, which had narrowed into thin slits.

"Now _I_ don't understand!" the medic cried, and her assistant nodded stiffly beside her.

"The human who freed Atem demands payment in the form of dead scales," Shadi growled, facing the medic chamber and seeing several curious heads peeking out from the edges of the other pods.

"The human committed many crimes in order to find Atem and free him," Mahad added, seeing Mana's face grow paler and paler. "I gave him my word that I alone would deliver him dead scales until he has no need for them anymore."

"Then we give him whatever he wants!" someone cried from the far end of the room. "The human sounds noble!"

"Far from it!" Shadi shouted back, unable to contain his fury anymore. "He is a criminal!"  
Merpeople these days were getting soft.  
The moment a human showed "kindness" it was a rallying cry to repay them.  
Seto Kaiba was not a kind human and did not deserve anything in return for his actions.

"I volunteer to give the human my sheddings," another merman piped up from another pod. "I will deliver them personally to you, Warrior Mahad, or I shall add them to my list of shore duties."

"Me too!" a mermaid called, sticking her bracelet-adorned arm out of a nearby pod. "It's a hassle paying for services to discard my sheddings. I'll ask my salon to donate their garbage to the human."

"How convenient!" the mermaid beside her laughed, also sticking her hand forward out of her pod. "I'll ask my salon too. You'll have an endless supply, Warrior Mahad. You have our support. As for bringing it to shore…"

"My husband makes my trips for me. One time, he said he saw a naked human," the first mermaid giggled, and the two women resumed happily gossiping with each other.

Mahad blinked slowly, his heart pounding steadily with a strange happiness.

People were oddly nice in times like these.

"Ridiculous," Shadi growled, storming off and leaving nothing but a swirl of water behind him.

"I…can make trips in Atem's place until he gets better," Mana said tearfully, pressing her hands to her cheeks to prevent herself from crying. "He was making my trip for me when he…when he—"

She hiccupped and pressed her face in her hands, tears flowing out through the cracks of her fingers and landing with gentle clinks onto the medic chamber's floor.

"Now, now, don't cry all over the floor. I just swept," said the medic, swimming over quickly and producing a small seaweed woven pouch, offering it to Mana kindly. "Come, sit here beside him. He'll wake up soon."

"Do not blame yourself for the actions of humans," Mahad said nervously, trying to calm her down. "I'll speak with the rest of the court about this, and you watch over him. Come to me immediately when he wakes."

Mana nodded bleakly and pressed the tiny pouch to the corner of her eye to catch another stray tear, watching Mahad swim away quickly.

It didn't matter how many times anyone told her it wasn't her fault that Atem had gotten kidnapped.

She resolutely felt that it _was_ her fault, because she was afraid to make her trips to shore.

* * *

Kaiba moved with painful slowness down the stairs towards the elevator, feeling as if his entire body was made of lead.

He stepped in through the sliding doors and leaned against the wall, hating everything.

This was fine. Maybe if he tried dating someone in the real world, he'd feel less shitty about this merman.

The elevator door slid open and he stepped out, seeing two lab technicians rush to him with excitement and lead him over to their work stations, talking excitedly.

Stuck in a depressed haze, Kaiba only half-listened.

"…Really truly amazing…we were able to make a serum out of it, just as we expected!"

"It was Akagi-san's idea to fuse it with a binding agent, glycerin…."

"Touch it, Mr. Kaiba! Put it on the back of your hand, it feels refreshing, doesn't it?"

Kaiba dipped his fingers into the clear jar of jelly-like substance and dabbed it carelessly onto the back of his hand. As the serum began to dry, it left his feeling skin light and airy, almost as if it was breathing better.

"I wonder if I'll look more youthful if I put it on my face," another lab technician spoke, reaching for the jar and dipping a gloved pinky into it, playing with the consistency. "My wife complains about my forehead wrinkling."

There was a light round of laughter echoing through the lab, and Kaiba stood rooted to the spot with mild shock.

An idea crept into his mind and he cleared his throat, hearing everyone quiet down politely to let him speak. "So…cosmetics. This is the scale in its most refined form?"

"Scale?" a chemist from the far side of the room echoed. "Skin, perhaps, but not scale, and no Mr. Kaiba. The most refined form we've managed is a clear liquid with a fishy smell."

"There wasn't much of it left after making this one jar." Another pregnant chemist piped up, nodding politely at Kaiba. "Do you perhaps have more? To make cosmetics…we would need a large batch. Much larger than the plastic bag you sent us."

"Does it hold color?" Another scientist piped up, reaching for the jar and slipping her glove off and tentatively sweeping a dollop off the top. "I'd love it if we could tint this a light blue. This almost feels like a gel."

Everyone in the lab held their breath and watched her pat it onto her face with familiarity, and there was a pause before her face split into a blissful grin, "Ah…! Wow! This feels so nice! It's like I just got a facial!

The women in the lab gravitated towards her, clamoring over the jar, leaving the male scientists sitting awkwardly in their seats.

"H-Hey!" the male lab technician cried out in protest. "It was my idea! I said it would help with the creases on my forehead!"

"But you didn't put it on your face first, now did you, Midori-san?" another chemist shot back at him playfully, and the women in the lab giggled in amusement. "Hey, put it on my stomach, Akagi-san. Give it here! Pregnant women first."

Kaiba swayed on the spot, his spirits rising higher and higher the louder the excitement grew in his lab.

He pointed at the chemist in the far end of the room and gestured for him to come closer. The man bowed and hurried forward, giving the women in the center of the room an envious look as he passed them.

"Write this down," Kaiba said stiffly.

The man pulled out a notepad from his breast pocket, gripping a pen tightly and gazing expectantly at him.

"I need to know exactly how many pieces make an ounce." Kaiba said quickly, watching the man jot his words down and the room quieted once more, so he addressed the room at large. "Remember that you signed an NDA. You will all receive a raise, and stock options in the cosmetics line if this launches successfully."

Thunderous applause rang out in the room again and the women began chatting happily amongst themselves, dispersing slowly back to their stations.

"The only issue is the scent," the chemist said nervously while the pregnant chemist approached them quickly, handing Kaiba the jar and smiling.

"We can manufacture a scent that won't affect the composition of the serum," she said sweetly, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear before continuing. "But for that, we would need more batches to test on. This is a rough estimate, but from my earlier notes, five slices of the skin makes one ounce."

"It would have to be extremely expensive cosmetics, sold in tiny jars," another lab technician added from behind them. "But it works, so once people realize that, they will pay anything. You have a premium brand on your hands here, Mr. Kaiba."

Kaiba nodded stiffly and began walking towards the door, feeling the chemists stick by his side closely, still talking.

"We haven't tried freezing or burning it while it's in liquid form."

"How do you want to proceed with testing this on live subjects?"

"But to do that, we'd need several kilograms of this skin."

He stepped into the elevator and stared at his two chemists who were still gazing at him hopefully.

"I'll check in with my supplier," was all he said before letting the doors close in their faces, and the elevator rose steadily upwards.

A headache was slowly building in the back of his head and he shut his eyes, trying to forget the vivid memory of Atem's face hovering inches from his, his eyes narrowed in concentration while they were in the water together…enjoying each other's bodies.

This was easily remedied. He just needed to fuck someone else to forget about the pretty merman.

* * *

Atem heard muffled voices and was woken from his pleasant dream. He opened his eyes a slight crack, seeing blurred figures hovering around his pod, and he closed them again.

His body felt wonderfully light while he slipped back into his lewd dream, enjoying the warmth around him.

The human Seto Kaiba had his arms wrapped around his neck, kissing gently down his chest, pausing to throw him a mischievous look before his lips wrapped naughtily around one of his nipples, sucking and licking playfully, sending heated jolts of pleasure running up and down his body.

His hands were wonderfully cool against his heated skin, and his lips were warm against his navel. A silky tongue slid suggestively along the line where his scales met his skin, sending ticklish sensations running down his tail—

"He's awake." The medic's voice could be heard through the pod, jolting Atem unpleasantly from his daydream. "We can open the pod now."

"Really?! Oh…thank Ahti!" Mana's voice sounded relieved, and Atem frowned deeply, wishing he could go back into the daydream.

The sound of membrane ripping filled his pod and Atem found himself gazing up into the worried faces of the dark-haired medic, her male assistant, and Mana.

"Your majesty." The medic bowed her head down respectfully. "There was something concerning about your vitals. Do you want to hear it now, or later?"

"Tell us now," Mana demanded, reaching forward to grab Atem's hand and giving it a tight squeeze. "Can we talk about it now, Atem? I need to know you're perfectly okay!"

Atem nodded stiffly, giving the medic an approving nod too, seeing her throw her male assistant a strange look before addressing Mana.

"Perhaps…if we could have some…privacy," the assistant said deeply, holding his arm out to wrap warmly around Mana's shoulders and leading her away from the edge of the pod. "I can stay with you here."

"Wait!" Mana cried tearfully, clutching her seaweed pouch tightly and gazing Atem. "You'll tell me what it is, right, Atem? Atem?"

Atem smiled weakly at her and felt his heart pound nervously in his chest. Oh no…what was it? Why was the medic asking for privacy? This might be bad….

The medic floated closer to him and pulled the edges of the pod up around their heads, giving him a deeply concerned glance.

"King, my readings are sometimes flawed, but they are rarely so," she said nervously, and Atem waited patiently for her to continue.

"It seems…that you have somehow become…infertile."

 _Infertile?_ Atem reeled, his ears ringing with a terrible sound, and he felt weak all over.

The medic bowed her head deeply, wearing a pained expression while speaking quickly in a low tone. "It might be temporary, and it was probably caused by surface illness. But none of our kind has ever spent so much time on shore and come back alive."

Atem blinked rapidly, desperately trying to find his voice before he managed to whisper, "You're saying…this is a side effect of surface illness?"

"Y-Yes, your majesty," she said uncertainly, bowing forward again because she was unsure of how to behave. "Unless you want to believe an old wives' tales about how infertility is caused by a human's touch."

Atem's breath caught painfully in his throat, and he coughed stiffly, his throat still searing and the medic rushed forward to rest her hand on his chest.

"A human's touch?" Atem asked, his heart skipping several terrified beats in his chest and he watched the medic nod and shake her head.

"Don't listen to me. I'm being silly."

"Tell me the tale," Atem demanded, gripping the edge of the pod and feeling a rush of guilt. "Many humans touched me while I was on shore."

The medic paled and kept her head lowered respectfully, talking in a rush. "When I said a 'human's touch', I meant that if you had _mated_ with a human, it _might_ cause infertility. That is why sexual contact with humans has been forbidden…to preserve our race."

She raised her head to sneak a peek at him and was met with a deeply shocked look. Of course, a noble king like Atem wouldn't have known about such a dirty thing.

"I'm very sorry," she added nervously, turning away to give the king his privacy. "I'll leave now."

"Is it permanent?" Atem asked frantically, struggling to sit upright and gazing at her with wide eyes. "If it is caused by surface illness, my body should heal quickly, right?"

"Perhaps, my king. I'll pray for it to be so." She gave him a deep sympathetic look over her shoulder before pushing the membrane walls aside and swimming away quietly.

Breathless with shock, Atem thunked his head back onto the spongy pillow behind his head and gazed up at the high stone ceilings.

A human's touch had rendered him infertile.

Seto Kaiba's…touch!

Weak with a mixture of dread and disappointment at himself, Atem closed his eyes and curled up inside the pod, listening to his heart thumping heavily inside his chest.

The medic's assistant had been right to ask for privacy.  
How would he ever be able to break this news to those closest to him?

 _How will I ever conceive an heir?_ Atem thought wildly, his anxiety rising higher and higher. He had put his own kingdom's future at stake for rough playtime with a pretty human…thinking there would be no consequences to his own actions.

Shutting his eyes tightly, Atem willed for sleep to come.  
The medic had said it was an old wives' tale.

The infertility would be temporary, because once he healed from the surface illness, he'd be just fine.

* * *

**Author's note:**

atem is released, kaiba is heartbroken, but the good news is that the scales make a nice serum for a Kaiba Cosmetics line! Atem almost passed out swimming his way back home and received some devastating news about his own health.

edited by setokaibaes

stay tuned for new chapter coming WEDNESDAY MAY 8th 2019!

AO3 has restricted my posts until **Thursday may 2nd.** (i gotta thank whoever reported me. THANK YOU!)

xo  
Ugli


	10. I'll play this game

Kaiba opened his eyes and found himself staring a smooth, muscular back, and he sat up slowly, feeling himself ache.

The man shifted sleepily beside him and Kaiba stuck his heel out to kick the man off the bed.

"Wake up, and get out."

The man jerked awake and let out a yelp, tumbling off the bed and onto the floor with the sheets twisted around his legs. He gazed up at the CEO, who was glaring at him on the bed from above.

"I said get out," Kaiba growled, and the man blinked nervously at him, his blonde hair matted messily across his forehead while he stammered, "D-Do you want to have breakfast with me?"

"I already forgot your name," Kaiba answered viciously, pointing at his clothes on the floor. "Out."

The man scrambled for his clothes and Kaiba threw the sheets off himself to stalk into the bathroom, making sure to slam the door loudly.

Isono edged the bedroom door open with his elbow and almost dropped the tray of coffee, startled at the sight of a young man with his underwear around his ankles and his shirt above his head, clearly in a hurry to get dressed.

Reddening with embarrassment, the old man stood respectfully in the hallway until the stranger emerged from Kaiba's room and bowed stiffly, his cheeks red as apples.

Deciding to remain unfazed, Isono entered the bedroom and set Kaiba's coffee down onto the table, slipping his hand into his pocket to call the maid.

 _Master Kaiba is young and energetic,_ Isono thought mildly, quietly exiting the room and closing the door.

As long as he was enjoying life, the master could do no wrong in his eyes.

In the shower, Kaiba stood angrily under the steaming water, shivering with self-loathing.

Had it been bad sex? No.  
Had it been good sex? Questionable.  
Did he think of Atem every time he closed his eyes? Yes.

The merman's violet eyes haunted him, and the way his delicate face was framed with spiky blonde bangs made him seek out the blonde-haired man in the crowded bar, but it wasn't meaningful.

Had that stranger been conventionally attractive? Sure.  
But Atem was prettier by far.  
Had the man been considerate in bed? Yes.  
But Atem was more attentive by far.

Shutting the water off with a heavy hand, Kaiba pressed his forehead against the tiles, hating how his eyes burned with unshed tears.

What he needed was another one-night stand. Maybe with another woman, two women, or hell, a man and a woman.  
Atem was replaceable.  
He just needed to find someone or something that would fill that void.

Pulling himself together, Kaiba stepped out of the shower and dried off quickly, ignoring his aching headache.

* * *

Atem floated easily between Mahad and Shadi, waving kindly at the people who called out to him while they tossed seashells at the ground beneath his fins.

"Many happy returns, King Atem!" a child cried, waving enthusiastically while his mother and father stood beside him, beaming. Several groups of mermaids tossed hand-strung shell bracelets at him, and Atem caught one as it hit his chest, hearing squeals of embarrassment and delight.

"We're getting him out of the crowd," Mahad muttered to Shadi, and his comrade nodded, firmly steering Atem back towards the palace archways.

Atem bit back a longing sigh as he turned his gaze upwards, seeing nothing but the usual darkness surrounding their hemisphere.

Every passing moment in his thoughts had been about the human, Seto Kaiba, and today on his birthday, it was no different.  
He had been secretly counting the days passing on shore.

Today would be three moon cycles and exactly two weeks since he had been released.

Maybe he could find some time to sneak away and see if he could catch a glimpse of Seto Kaiba on shore.

They swam through the palace gates, bowed in by two guards, and were welcomed by Mana, shooting towards them at breakneck speed and hugging Atem tightly around the neck.

"You're back!" she cried happily.

Atem showed her the shell bracelet as she pulled away.

"For me?!" She held it up with delight and slipped it onto her arm smoothly, admiring it fondly.

Atem eyed Shadi and Mahad who were silently conversing in a far corner, and he leaned towards Mana, whispering, "What has gotten into those two lately? I've been healed. Why are they still acting so worried?"

Mana fidgeted nervously, wondering if Atem knew about the human's demand for their scales, but before she could ask, Mahad approached them quickly, his long hair flowing magnificently behind his broad shoulders.

"My king, I'll be taking a short break. I'm tired, and I hope you'll understand."

"Of course," Atem replied mildly, also quickly adding, "I'd like to take a quick swim towards shore. I want to see the night sky tonight to celebrate my birthday."

Everyone fell silent around him, and Atem frowned. "What?"

"Perhaps…you could stay here, tonight," Shadi managed, unable to keep the coldness from seeping into his voice. "You've had quite a scare rising to shore. We've all had a scare. You'll make us worry."

"I know how to take care of myself," Atem retaliated angrily, feeling terribly pent up and frustrated. "What are the chances a human will capture me again? Slim! My incident was the only one for the past five centuries!"

"I'll invite my friends over?" Mana offered tentatively, wondering if the company of mermaids would appease Atem instead. "Do you remember Hazel and Rebecca? Rebecca really likes you—"

"I don't give a damn about her," Atem replied coldly, turning to glare at Shadi. "I'm journeying to shore, alone. If you follow me, Shadi, I'll fight you."

Mana stifled a gasp, and Mahad narrowed his eyes at the king, wondering what had gotten into him.

"Very well, Atem," Mahad said heavily, giving Shadi a knowing look before continuing. "It just so happens I'm headed to shore now."

"I said, alone, Mahad," Atem growled, curling his tail threateningly. "Why are you headed to shore? Didn't Rishid swim to shore alone last week? And Shadi, went the week before! So, this shore-journeying excludes me, now, doesn't it? Didn't we agree to do the trash dumps in pairs?"

There was another long silence, and they were joined by Isis and Rishid, who hovered nervously by the hallway entrance, watching them from afar.

"What is it?" Atem fumed, glancing around his court subjects and wondering why everyone was so fearfully silent. "Speak!"

Finally, after a while, Mahad did, sounding deeply apologetic. "Shadi, Rishid, and I have been taking turns delivering a week's worth of dead scales to the human, Seto Kaiba, the one who freed you."

Atem stared at his men, shocked that they had kept this secret from him, but pleased that this meant he had a chance to regularly see Seto Kaiba.

"You should've told me sooner," Atem said gruffly, trying his best to hide his excitement. "I'll take this week's delivery up to him. Which shore?"

"No…you can't!" Isis cried, pressing a hand to her chest and leaning against a stone pillar in obvious distress. "Even though you've recovered, you might get sick again! You can't rise to shore so soon."

"What if the human wants to harm you?" Rishid added, remembering Kaiba's wicked smile. "What's stopping the human from capturing you once you've surfaced?! He'll keep you so he can have fresh scales off your body!"

The court murmured in heated agreement and Atem did his best not to roll his eyes.

"If he wanted to harvest fresh scales off my body, why would he release me?" Atem demanded, sweeping his gaze over each of his subjects. "Think about that! His interest is purely in the scales. We, as merpeople, are safe."

"That is the most ridiculous statement I've ever heard," another merman snorted from behind him, and Atem turned to see Solomon floating angrily towards them.

"Your job as king is to guide us and keep us safe. Your bravery concerning Mana is understandable, but don't needlessly sacrifice yourself for this disgusting chore."

The ancient merman folded his arms across his chest and glared at Atem.

"Stay here tonight, and keep the people in your thoughts. If you left for shore on your birthday, people will worry."

"How about a compromise?" Mahad said quickly, holding his hands up defensively, feeling an argument boiling in the courtroom between Atem and Solomon. "I shall accompany Atem to the surface. Rest easy knowing he is safe with me."

Atem ground his teeth furiously. He was being treated like a child.

"Please, Atem, we're so worried about you." Mana hung onto his arm and gazed pleadingly into his eyes. "Go with Mahad. Maybe in a few moon cycles we'll all feel more comfortable with you surfacing by yourself."

"Fine," Atem growled, jerking his arm out of Mana's grasp and storming off towards the palace gates. "I'll go with Mahad…just this once."

Solomon sighed, and his sigh was echoed by Shadi and Mahad.

"He's been acting strange since his return," Rishid said, stating the obvious.

"He's probably trying to show us that he isn't scared," Isis mused, and she received a tight nod from Solomon.

"A hot-blooded young merman like him will get himself killed acting like this," the aging merman declared. "He will probably attempt to rise to shore without our knowledge to best his own fear. We will keep close eyes on him. Mana, we are counting on you."

Mana nodded nervously and wrung her hands tightly, feeling deep guilt. Atem…was always so brave.  
Even now, when he was scared of the surface, he still wanted to do deliveries with Mahad.

The courtroom dispersed slowly and Mahad floated up beside her, pulling her into a tight embrace. "You're a good girl, Mana. We're going to be fine."

Mana nodded silently and stared at the silhouette of Atem hovering by the palace gates. Yes, as long as she kept an eye on Atem, everything would be fine.

* * *

Kaiba slung his laptop bag over his shoulder and climbed the tall rock with familiarity, feeling the tips of his shoes slipping on the wet surface.

Finally reaching the top, he made himself comfortable, crossing his legs and propping his bag up on his lap and gazing out across the dark water.

This had become his ritual every week for the past few months now.

After tucking Mokuba into bed, he would drive out to his oceanside property and perch himself on this rock, waiting for a telltale splash beneath him that indicated the scales were being delivered.

He had had his men drill a hole in the rock and add hooks along the inside, making it easy for the mermen to hang the mesh pouches of scales to it.

This way, the scales stayed cold and submerged until he arrived to drag them out of the water.

The mesh sacks were always full to bursting, and in the beginning, Kaiba's lab technicians were extremely happy with the deliveries…until it suddenly became too much.

Now, he had more scales than he knew what to do with, but the production of the serum was well underway, and his cosmetics line was within sight.

They had already pushed out a beta batch, and invited a group of men and women to test it out. Results were overwhelmingly positive.

Kaiba sighed and flipped his laptop open, listening to the soft lapping of the waves against the rock. His work life was going perfectly well, but he still felt horribly empty inside.

After many one-night stands and a several threesomes later, Kaiba had come to terms with the fact that he was indeed in love with the merman.

So every week on this day, he would bring his laptop here to sit on this rock, waiting for the weekly deliveries, desperately scanning the dark water beneath him, hoping to catch a glimpse of red and gold hair.

Atem had to surface sometime.  
It was just a matter of time.

* * *

The pressure grew lighter around Atem's shoulders and he popped his head up above the water, taking a deep, appreciative inhale of the fresh air, gazing up at the wonderful night sky.

Tiny silver stars dotted across the inky blue canvas above, and Mahad surfaced beside him with two large sacks of scales on each shoulder.

A tiny figure could be seen sitting on a tall rock in the distance. Atem stared intently at it, wondering if it was Seto Kaiba, and his stomach churned with excitement.

"We're here, and we'll stay at this distance while I explain," Mahad said stiffly, shifting the heavy sacks on his shoulders and pointing at the rock. "You may not recognize him, but that is Seto Kaiba, the human who released you. He sits there every night to make sure we are holding up our end of the bargain."

 _Oh I recognize him,_ Atem thought gleefully, his cheeks heating up at the thought of a warm, welcoming birthday kiss from the human.  
But how would he manage that without Mahad catching him?

"There are hooks in a small cave underneath the rock," Mahad continued. "We hang them there without surfacing and leave as quickly as possible."

"I want to thank him," Atem said stubbornly. Mahad threw him a shocked and worried look.

"He is dangerous, my liege," Mahad said nervously, but to his rising horror, Atem had already dipped beneath the surface and was swimming towards the rock with surprising speed.

Kaiba heard a soft plop in the water, and he shut his laptop quickly, shoving it back in the bag and glanced down into the water beneath him on high alert.

Was that it? Just one splash?

To his pleasant surprise, red spiky tips poked out over the surface of the wavy water, and Kaiba stared, his heart stopping in his chest with excitement.

Atem!

The merman rose out of the water quickly and threw Kaiba a mischievous smile, his fangs gleaming prettily in the soft moonlight. "You look well, human. Wish me well too. Today is my birthday."

Speechless for a moment, Kaiba quickly composed himself and smiled brightly in return. "Happy birthday."

They stared at each other silently for a long moment and Kaiba ached to throw himself in the water to wrap himself around tightly Atem's body and never let go.  
He wanted to fuck.  
Could they fuck?  
How about a good birthday fuck?  
It had been several weeks since he'd had a good fuck.

"Not…now," Atem's mouth barely moved when he whispered, and Kaiba frowned, seeing a second patch of bubbles rising quickly to the merman's left, and an unwelcome, familiar face rose out of the water.

"Human…" Mahad nodded stiffly, and grabbed Atem by the arm. "Greetings and goodbye."

Kaiba blinked rapidly, his body burning with heat, and he clenched his jaw so hard, his teeth ached.

Fuck this guy.

"I haven't finished thanking him," Atem said indignantly, yanking his arm out of Mahad's grasp and swimming closer to shallow water, his heart pounding so fast, it began to hurt in his chest. "I have something to discuss with him. Privately. Excuse us, and that's an order."

Mahad set his mouth in a tight line of disapproval and eyed the human suspiciously, reading his aura and his mind, hearing absolutely nothing.

Fine. It should be safe to leave Atem alone with the human who had originally freed him.

"Very well." Mahad said quietly, sinking back into the water with a deep bow. "I will wait at the mid-way point. Don't be long."

"I'll take as long as I want, Mahad," Atem growled, "Leave."

Kaiba gleefully watched Atem dismiss his bodyguard, and he moved to slide off the rock, hearing Atem call out to him again from below. "Don't move from your spot!"

"Why the hell not?" Kaiba asked, his entire body shaking with anticipation. "Or I can just jump down right onto you. Would you prefer that instead?"

"He can still hear us," Atem said shakily, listening intently to the thin splashes Mahad was making from afar. "He can't see us touching. I'll be put to death."

"Well…you should've said that sooner," Kaiba breathed, feeling deeply annoyed, and he waited three heartbeats before asking again. "How about now?"

"No," Atem replied, exasperated and amused at the human's eagerness to mate. "Let's talk for a while until he swims away. Tell me how you've been."

"Horny," Kaiba answered readily, already feeling his boner straining against the zipper on his pants. "I tried replacing you, but I failed."

"You...what?" Atem hissed, his blood running cold and hot at the same time. What did that mean? He edged away from the rock, feeling his stomach sinking terribly with a strange feeling.

"I fucked around," Kaiba said truthfully, wondering why it felt like he was admitting to adultery. "And I didn't find anyone I liked, because I like you."

Atem stared into Kaiba's face, his heart pounding painfully in his chest the longer he gazed into his eyes. That was…a nice thing to hear. But there was something else he needed to say first.

"You've rendered me infertile," Atem glared, folding his arms across his chest tightly. "It has been three moon cycles since my release and my surface illness has subsided, but my fertility did not return. It's your fault."

"Was it something I fed you?" Kaiba asked blandly, rolling his eyes. "You're shooting blanks. Big fucking deal."

Atem narrowed his eyes at Kaiba, not understanding the sudden influx of modern slang, but the uncaring tone was obvious.

"You don't have anything to say for yourself?" Atem demanded, wondering if it was too much to ask for an apology. "A human's touch, your touch, caused this—"

"And so what?" Kaiba interrupted, beginning to grow impatient and restless. "You want to find a wife and have some kids? Then why are you wasting your time here talking to me about it?"

Atem fell silent, realizing that the human was right.  
He didn't want that life for himself.  
At least, not right now. It was too soon.

"But what if I want a child? Years from now?" Atem argued, feeling as if they were wasting precious minutes of their time together. "Then I'm the only royal who would've failed to produce an heir."

"Boo fucking hoo," Kaiba sneered, rolling his eyes again. "Give me some DNA and I'll make you a little fish baby in a test tube. You can even pick the gender. How about that?"

"You-You can do that?" Atem cried, taken aback, and Kaiba nodded stiffly, replying arrogantly with, "I can do anything."

There was a tense silence and Kaiba broke it quickly.

"Is your annoying bodyguard gone yet? Don't bring him next time."

"I tried to come alone, but—" Atem protested, and he was cut off by Kaiba jumping straight down into the water beside him, catching him off guard.

The cold water was a terrible shock, but Kaiba powered through it and managed to throw himself around Atem, locking his ankles around his waist and relishing in his warmth, giving him a firm bite on his neck and taking deep shuddering breaths, drinking in his unique scent.

 _He's like a drug,_ Kaiba thought darkly, feeling hot hands snake through his hair as the merman pulled him into an open-mouthed kiss. The tips of their tongues swirled together in a happy greeting and Kaiba ground his hips forward furiously against Atem's smooth, muscular abdomen. A fuck. Now.

"Wait…wait," Atem gasped, pulling away from the human and feeling his stomach clench violently at the way Kaiba's hands were aggressively groping his backside. "If you keep touching me…I'll remain infertile."

"Shut up about that," Kaiba hissed, dragging his nails down Atem's smooth back and nuzzling his nose into the crook of his ear, shivering delightfully. "You're already here. I'll grow you a child in a lab if you need one that badly. Fuck me."

Atem reached forward and cupped Kaiba's face in his hands, gazing deeply into his face and his heart aching at the sight of his handsome face.

"I couldn't stop thinking about you," Atem whispered, and he was silenced with a fierce kiss.

Kaiba grinned and felt their teeth bump. The water was warming up around him as Atem's lips traveled down his neck, licking and sucking firmly on his Adam's apple.

"Take it off," Atem breathed, feeling the tip of his dick catching painfully on something metal and hard, and he retracted it quickly, glancing down in the water, wondering what it was.

Kaiba hastily unbuckled his belt and inched his pants down along his legs, his feet slipping terribly in the wet sand, and every time a wave washed over him, he would lose his footing.

"This is terrible. Come here," Atem decided, dragging Kaiba away from the shore and back to deeper water. "Here."

Kaiba bit back a gasp when the merman yanked him forward forcefully and pressed him against the rock. A warm silky tongue found its way between his legs while Atem's breath sensually grazed his ear, causing a hot thread of pleasure to trickle down his chest and pool low in his stomach.

Breathless with excitement, Kaiba braced himself against the rock and shut his eyes, wishing Atem would just bite him harder, fuck him harder, and do everything harder, because he had missed this so damn much.

Atem heard Kaiba's thoughts and happily obliged, tugging the underwear down so hard, he felt it rip after catching slightly on his claws, but he paid no mind, grinding his hips forward messily and enjoying the way Kaiba's legs locked around the back of his tail and gave him an encouraging squeeze. Atem pressed his lips tightly against Kaiba's ear and gave the curve a soft bite, letting his length twist and curl happily between the human's legs, each rough rub sending a blinding jolt of heat through his body.

Kaiba felt Atem lean into him roughly, pressing his cheek firmly against the rugged surface of the rock, almost causing his skin to scrape, but he paid it no mind, lost in the incredible sensation of Atem's dick between his legs, giving his balls repeated smooth strokes and slipping wonderfully up and down along his crack, teasing his clenching hole.

Both of Atem's hands were wrapped around his chest, and Kaiba pried one off to guide it down towards his front, enjoying the warm palm that circled the head of his penis while the tip of the heated tentacle slipped naughtily in and out of his hole, causing his legs to weaken terribly, and he sank down against Atem's weight, hearing the merman chuckle playfully in his ear.

"You weren't this shameless before…what changed?"

Atem licked his lips and felt his head spin powerfully as Kaiba's heels thumped insistently against the ends of his tail in a defiant response.

"I…want it…inside," Kaiba hissed, his eyes watering from effort. He had been holding his breath so tightly, his lungs felt like exploding, and Atem's tentacle was still sliding suggestively over his hole, sending deep, burning waves of pleasure through his entire body, so he clamped his legs tighter around the merman's tail and arched his back excitedly, not caring who could hear or see them.

All that mattered was the amazing, curling tentacle, twisting up his insides and driving him mad.

Atem leaned forward to bite down on Kaiba's neck one last time before shoving himself deep into him, rising enthusiastically up against the human's taut body and listening to his excited pants while his arousal moved inside of him, the wonderful softness of Kaiba's hole sending him into a heated frenzy. He bucked his hips forward roughly, exactly as Kaiba had requested, and he heard the human let out an ecstatic cry, the sound raising the hair on his arms and causing his ears to ring.

What a beautiful sound…!

Kaiba's cheek scraped against the rock again as Atem coiled into him aggressively, churning his insides with vigor, leaving his legs weak and useless and his body limp with pleasure. Holy fuck…it didn't even hurt anymore because…he had been masturbating with a dildo.  
This time was better than all the previous times he'd had sex!

"You've been doing what?" Atem breathed, wondering if his ears were deceiving him. The human was sticking things back there? Attempting to replace him?

Shaking his head weakly, Kaiba grit his teeth and rode out a low orgasmic wave, shuddering tightly in Atem's grasp before a hand came to stifle his finish mid-way.

The merman gripped the base of his dick with vicious glee, his fangs grazing the shell of his ear while he growled, "You can't replace me. Not with an object, and certainly not with another human. How dare you!"

Kaiba let his breath out in a shuddering hiss and grew hot and cold all over, hating and loving the feeling at the same time. He was all ready to cum, and Atem had stifled him, choking the life out of him and leaving him hanging in a glorious limbo between pleasure and release.

 _I want to cum, I want to cum,_ Kaiba chanted frantically in his mind, and he earned a thick tongue in his ear followed by an amused laugh.

"Already? You haven't even experienced me at my fullest," Atem said in a jeering whisper, running his hand through Kaiba's light brown hair and pulling his head back so he could see his face. "When I'm healthy, I can go for _days,_ human. One of your sunlit days."

 _Oh fuck, I'm going to die_ , Kaiba thought meekly as he shivered violently with anticipation. The merman gave his dick another firm stroke while the tentacle inside his ass stiffened suddenly, and began ramming into him without pause, stretching him painfully the deeper it went, and Kaiba could've sworn it extended inside of him, thudding against the inner walls of his stomach and reaching a high point inside of him, drawing a reluctant orgasm from his already pleasure-torn body, causing him to shudder violently and cum.

Pleased, Atem continued to enjoy himself fully, knowing that Kaiba could take it.

He coiled his tail upwards, feeling Kaiba's legs tighten further around him and he sighed happily, letting his tentacle curl languidly inside of the human's soft insides, relishing in the warm wetness. Every time he gave himself a lewd swirl, the human would tense against his body and let out another tantalizing gasp.

This was heavenly. How long could the human's hole take this treatment before it was too much?

It was already too much for Kaiba. He was half-conscious, dimly aware that he was still facing a slippery rock with his palms braced against it, but his body was behaving with a mind of its own, twisting, shivering, and trembling with ecstasy as the merman slowed his pace and began lavishing him slowly, licking up his neck and planting a firm kiss on his cheek before picking up the pace again, building another raw orgasm deep inside his stomach.

"You've gone quiet," Atem murmured worriedly, raking his hands across Kaiba's hair and seeing the human's eyes fully closed, his expression blissful. "Too much? Should we stop? Human...? Human, I haven't released yet."

He pulled away and gently extracted himself, his arousal still throbbing painfully from holding back.

Kaiba felt himself being gently turned around, and he unconsciously draped his arms around Atem's shoulders, letting his head fall limply to the side, his chest heaving with every breath.

Atem smirked playfully and slipped his tentacle between Kaiba's legs again, the tip eagerly finding the hole with ease and thrusting inside of it with reckless abandon while he curled himself protectively against Kaiba's body. He noticed a trickle of blood running down Kaiba's cheek from where the rock had scraped him.

Instinctively, Atem licked it off his skin and felt positively electrified.

He trailed his lips down the side of Kaiba's cheek to find his parted mouth, kissing him passionately. His vision went white the moment Kaiba's hole clenched greedily around his arousal, and his body shivered with pleasure, riding out orgasmic surge that assaulted him steadily.

Kaiba tightened his legs around Atem's waist and bucked his hips forward limply, feeling his asshole aching, but he didn't care. Atem could fuck him until he couldn't see or think straight anymore, and he'd appreciate it.

Atem stayed stubbornly inside of Kaiba's hole, curling his tentacle upwards higher and higher, wondering how far it went.  
_This_ was the real reason why mating with humans was dangerous.  
Everything about them, their expressions, their cries, their insides…it was all glorious and addicting.

"Don't…go," Kaiba breathed, keeping his eyes closed and his arms tightly around Atem's neck, pressing his lips down against his tanned shoulder and giving it a tender kiss.

Atem reluctantly withdrew himself and he felt Kaiba continue to tighten around him with such force, the air was nearly squeezed out of his lungs.

Kaiba slowly regained his vision, but his head was still spinning violently, and the way the waved bobbed was making him nauseous.  
He had to hold onto Atem, or he'd slip away…forever, for who knew how long? Another month? Another three months?  
He couldn't live like this! It was torture!

"I'll come back," Atem reassured him, but to his surprise, the CEO shook his head vehemently and glared at him with dark blue eyes.

"Every week. Show your face every week," Kaiba demanded breathlessly, his heart still pounding thickly in his chest and he appreciated how the water around them was still warm. "I waited for you…!"

"Yes, human, I thought of you often too," Atem said hastily, giving Kaiba another reassuring pat as his panic began to set in. "Loosen your grip. I need to be on my way."

"No, stay here for a while longer," Kaiba snapped, regaining his strength and clinging heavily onto Atem, feeling the merman's tail curling and uncurling beneath them steadily, keeping them afloat. "Come back next week."

"I don't know if I can!" Atem said nervously, and the human reached out to tug on a strand of his spiky blonde bangs, glaring intently into his face.

"Hey." Kaiba blinked rapidly as the salt water stung his eyes and he wondered if he ought to say it.  
Would it change anything between them?  
Ah, fuck it.  
Maybe he shouldn't say it.

"What is it?" Atem asked curiously, gently dabbing at the cut on Kaiba's pale cheek, and he felt a rush of guilt.  
He had been too rough.  
That was what the human wanted to say.

"I'm in love with you." Kaiba said hurriedly, and he gazed into Atem's face nervously, watching his expression carefully for a reaction.

Speechless, Atem smiled kindly and wondered if the appropriate response was to kiss the human after receiving such a nice compliment.  
After a moment's hesitation, he did.

Leaning forward, Atem gave Kaiba a soft lingering kiss and watched the human close his eyes and sigh…in relief?

And a stream of rapid thoughts invaded his consciousness in a familiar manner.

 _He didn't say it back._  
He didn't say it back! But he kissed me so softly.  
It must mean he accepts my feelings.  
We're always shouting back and forth at each other anyway.  
I made it weird. Oh god, I made it weird.  
He's angry at me for sleeping with other people—

Atem jerked his head back and pushed the human away shakily.  
Oh…oh no.  
Seto Kaiba had not meant that as a compliment.  
This was Human Attachment! This was bad.

"What? Are you angry?" Kaiba asked aggressively, his cheeks burning with anger and humiliation. "I won't sleep around anymore. You've got me. You win. Is that what you want to hear?"

Atem laughed and smiled nervously, his chest tightening with the strange pain again, and he took that as a cue to leave.

"I'm starting to feel ill again," Atem lied hurriedly, leading the human by the arm towards shallow water. "I'll see what I can do about meeting you next week, but…my people have been acting overprotective."

"I know, I saw," Kaiba said, reaching out to grab onto Atem's arm tightly and his fingers tightened over a golden armband. "Are you angry with me? That was a bad time to say it."

"No, I'm not angry," Atem said reassuringly, and he gently grazed his knuckles across Kaiba's cheek tenderly. "I'm sorry your face got scratched. Heal soon, human."

"I have a name, you know," Kaiba growled in response, and to his rising disappointment, the merman slipped out of his grasp and hovered in the distance, bobbing on the shallow waves coming in.

"Until next time, human!" Atem called playfully, giving Kaiba an energetic wave before diving off down to the bottom, his body trembling from head to toe with a strange jitteriness.

"Fuck…" Kaiba cried, shivering in the freezing cold water without his pants, his belt, or his underwear.

He waded out of the water and dashed across the beach, aiming to get back into the house as quickly as possible, his heart thudding painfully in his chest at the merman's subtle rejection.

* * *

**Author's note:**

Kaiba is sad he's just a fun plaything for the merman, karma is a real bitch.

Atem got some birthday dickings but his staff seem wary of him going to shore. But the sex is good, and Atem's infertility is no longer a worry because kaiba can just fix it with hashtag science. Idk how the merpeople will feel about a test tube baby tho lol kek

xo  
Ugli

-this chapter was edited by setokaibaes/marshmallons-

**p.s if you're looking for an update on my stories and for some mysterious reason i haven't updated in 3+ weeks,[please check here](https://uglifish.tumblr.com/links) for other chapters. find me on ff.net as prettiugli as well (hugs)**


	11. this game called 'love'

Atem swam slowly through the palace hallways, searching for Isis.

He decided to try her private chambers first, so he swam towards the female wing of the palace, awkwardly floating by several groups of giggling mermaids who all stared at him as he passed.

Finally reaching Isis’s door, he gave it a gentle knock, and to his pleasant relief, Isis herself answered, her black hair beautifully sleek in the semi-darkness.

“My king,” she said politely, bowing and opening her door further. “Thank you for gracing me with an unannounced visit.”

“I hope I’m not bothering you,” Atem said uncertainly. “I’ve come to seek your advice regarding Human Attachment.”

The mermaid shook her head kindly and floated back to let him in, moving to sit on her plush lounge.

“Human Attachment?” she said, frowning. “Did something happen with a human on shore?”  
  
Damn, Isis was sharp.

Atem hovered awkwardly in the doorway, unsure if he should enter.

Isis had the deepest knowledge of this subject out of all the other merfolk in his court, because she had a half-brother who was half-human. She was the best advisor he could seek in this situation.

 “Regarding the human who released me, Seto Kaiba,” Atem replied nervously, floating inside to sit beside her on her sponge lounge. “I thanked him, and we had a conversation about love. He kept saying the word love but acted strangely.”

“I see,” Isis said simply, running her hands through her hair smoothly, looking relieved. “Humans define ‘love’ differently, which is why we call it Human Attachment, to prevent confusion.”

“Right,” Atem said uncertainly, wondering if there was anything to be worried about in the first place. “I’m being ridiculous. I’ll take my leave now.”

“No, no, I’ll explain it better.” Isis reached out and placed her hand gently over Atem’s arm to give it a warm squeeze. “We love each other, don’t we? You love me, Mana, and Mahad, just as how I love you, my king. Correct?”

“Indeed. I love you too,” Atem replied, frowning, now growing more confused. “So, when a human says this to you, it’s a great compliment. I understand now.”

 “No,” Isis mirrored his frown, now looking deeply worried. “Humans rarely say this to each other in passing. They only say it to those they hold dear. Like, a wife, or a child. Their kin. Was the human Seto Kaiba talking about his kin?”       

“Yes he was,” Atem lied vehemently, his cheeks burning. “His child brother, Mokuba.”

“Now that’s a different type of attachment too,” Isis declared, and Atem felt his head spin.  
Maybe he was idiotic for forgetting all that he’d learned about Human Attachment in school.  
  
That had been nearly a millennium ago…so did he have anything to fear or not?

“I’ll break it down for you,” Isis said hurriedly, sensing Atem’s distress. “The least dangerous form of Human Attachment is friendship. The second one you’re asking about, is the ‘love’ humans feel for their kin.”

“I see,” Atem said, now thoroughly confused if Kaiba had meant he ‘loved him’ as a friend, because he knew the human most certainly didn’t see him as kin.

“Still confused?” Isis said worriedly, smiling sympathetically. “The third most dangerous form of human love, is the one we’ve explicitly banned…this is the one that gets a mermaid into the most trouble.”  
  
“Only mermaids?” Atem said, wondering why dangerous human love only afflicted their female population, and Isis shook her head.

“Only in our kingdom, we’ve had an instance of two mermaids having shore-relations with a human who felt Deep Attachment for them.”

“And what is Deep Attachment?” Atem asked desperately, now regretting having ever asked. “Friendship, love for your mate, and love for your kin. Is there anything further than that? Do merpeople feel Deep Attachment for each other?”

Isis tilted her head thoughtfully, “Unsure. But this type of human love is more potent than even the thickest of blood pacts. This is what makes human contact extremely dangerous.”

Atem blinked, slowly digesting her words, his stomach churning.  
How could he tell one attachment from another?  
Humans were so confusing.  
Did humans not love each other in their society the way merpeople did?  
  
Isis was still talking. “If a human were to love a mermaid with conviction, they would do anything. Unthinkable things. Humans are feeling creatures. Perhaps I’m not doing a good job explaining it to you, my lord.”

“I think I understand,” Atem said shakily, and Isis’s hand tightened over his arm while she gazed deeply into his eyes when she spoke, “Perhaps it would help if you visited the mermaids in Confinement.”

“Why would I do that?” Atem gasped, backing away slowly and eyeing the door behind him, now wishing he could leave without further questioning. “They’ve committed unspeakable crimes, haven’t they?”

“Yes, but not against us,” Isis said softly, swimming forward gently to hold the door open for him. “They’ve committed crimes against humans…by forcing Deep Attachment onto them, and the humans who were affected died painfully. Pay them a visit sometime, won’t you?”

“I…I’m not sure I want to.” Atem winced, wondering what good it would do to visit prisoners in his spare time when he could use it to sneak away to visit Seto Kaiba.

“You’ll hear their stories firsthand and understand why,” Isis said firmly. “Maybe when you’re older, we can go together. They can be very intimidating sometimes.”

 Atem frowned and nodded, reaching forward to caress Isis’s hand in thanks before swimming off down the hallway.

Next, it was time to ask Mahad about Human Attachment.  
His view would probably be less gentle than Isis’s.

* * *

Kaiba stared at vials of clear liquid presented to him by his two chemists, and he picked one up tentatively, holding it up to the light for closer inspection.

These glass vials didn’t look like they contained anything special. It looked exactly like water.

“This is the purest form,” the female chemist said proudly, “We’ve managed to eliminate the odor too.”

“Did you get into a fight, Mr. Kaiba?” the male chemist asked, pointing at the thin bandage on Kaiba’s cheek. “Try a few drops of this, maybe it’ll heal faster.”

“I’ll take these with me,” Kaiba said gruffly, grabbing all five vials and moving to the door.

He had gotten painful scratches all over his back from the way Atem had pushed him up against the rock.

Two large bruises dotted his knees too, and Kaiba had spent a good while in the mirror examining his still-healing wounds before getting dressed this morning.

Stepping into the elevator, he gripped the vials and sighed.

If each weekly sex session with Atem was going to leave deep cuts on his face and body, he needed to come up with a solution…fast.

If suspicious marks kept showing up on his face, the media was going to start questioning it, and that was the last thing he needed.

As the elevator rose higher, Kaiba gazed down at the clear liquid, briefly wondering if he could save himself hassle of applying it topically, and just…ingest it.

But who or what could he test this on?

The serum had healing properties, so theoretically, if he drank it, it should heal all the cuts on his body…even…back there, because his asshole had throbbed painfully for three days afterwards.

Without a second thought, Kaiba uncapped the vial and tossed it back with ease, making sure it didn’t touch his tongue as he poured it down his throat.

The elevator doors opened and Kaiba stepped out, suddenly growing cold all over.

He froze mid-step, wondering if he had just inadvertently killed himself by ingesting the merman’s liquified scales, before the feeling passed quickly, and he felt perfectly normal again.

Breathing a heavy sigh of relief, Kaiba walked nervously through the hallway and down a flight of stairs, exiting to the parking garage.

He pressed his keys, seeing his headlights blink from afar, and he hastened his pace, another wave of cold consuming him before fading as quickly as it came.  
  
Ah shit…was he going to turn into fish now?

Shivering, Kaiba threw himself into the car and pried the mirror down from the visor above, carefully peeling the bandage off his cheek to check the cut.

The deep scratch on his cheek had vanished, along with the scab.

There was nothing but smooth skin underneath the bandage, and Kaiba sat up straighter, reaching around his back and pressing his fingers into the places that had been causing him pain for the past few days.

He felt nothing.

Thrumming with excitement, Kaiba started the engine and decided to inspect himself closer when he got home.

* * *

“Human Attachment?” Mahad frowned, carrying an empty mesh sack in his arms as he floated through the hallways with Atem at his side. “This wouldn’t have anything to do with Seto Kaiba, now would it?”

“You’re sharp as ever,” Atem praised, his chest tightening with anxiety at the lies he was about to tell. “The human has a brother. A child. And he was—”

“Then it has nothing to do with you,” Mahad interrupted, swimming right out the palace gates and pausing to hold his hand up protectively. “I’m out to gather scales from the salons. The drop-off to shore is today. Please stay here, my lord.”

“I wasn’t finished talking,” Atem fumed, hating how everyone was now treating him like a precious object that could be broken at any moment. “Tell me about the most dangerous form of Human Attachment. I believe they also call it ‘love’.”

“They do,” Mahad said, frowning with worry. “That’s why we call it Deep Attachment instead.”

“Real helpful.” Atem rolled his eyes and sighed. “Isis said the same thing.”

“Our love is unconditional,” Mahad declared, shaking his dark hair off his shoulders proudly. “Humans need a condition for Deep Attachment to happen. We, as merfolk, will love one another because we all share the same ocean, and we live in harmony. Humans war, constantly. They don’t feel love between each other without a condition.”

“So what makes Deep Attachment different from regular love?” Atem asked curling his fists at his sides, his confusion rising once more. “It shouldn’t be dangerous if a human were to love one of us, right?”

“Wrong,” Mahad said deeply, and after a moment of silence, he sighed. “Fine. Do you want to come with me to gather the scales?”

“Yes!” Atem said instantly, swimming out through the gates to join Mahad in the open water. “Keep talking. Why is it dangerous then?”

Mahad sighed and swam forward slowly, understanding that the young king’s questions about humans were increasing because of his contact with Seto Kaiba.

“Say if a human were to become Deeply Attached to you,” Mahad said, wondering how he could explain this in the simplest terms. “For humans, it signifies loyalty, and they will behave erratically, all for the attention of a mermaid, or a merman.”

“Like a mating dance,” Atem said, and Mahad shook his head again, exasperated.

He stopped above a glittering shell-covered rooftop and gave Atem an appraising look.

“We dance to show our respect for our mates, and to draw attention to ourselves. A human will do anything…even something to endanger themselves…if they were to become attached to you.”

“I see,” Atem blinked rapidly, feeling relieved. “Thank you. I understand now.”

Mahad nodded and dove down towards the salon doors, the empty mesh sack bobbing gently over his shoulder.

Seto Kaiba didn’t behave that way, so there was no Deep Attachment between them.

The ‘love’ Kaiba had meant was the friendly kind.

“What’s that?” Mahad shot upwards through the water towards him, his eyes wide with concern, and Atem backed away, startled, realizing his thoughts had been heard.

“I—…The human said he loves me,” Atem stammered nervously, seeing Mahad narrow his eyes suspiciously. “That’s why I’ve been asking. My memory on the stages of Human Attachment is rusty.”

“I see,” Mahad said icily, folding his arms across his muscular chest and gazing off into the distance. “I suppose the human has a gentle side to him. Did he say that to you during the drop-off last week?”

“Yes,” Atem said hurriedly, regretting ever having brought this topic up with Mahad, so he lied quickly.

“He said he loves me like a brother. He feels we could be friends.”

“ _I_ love you like a brother,” Mahad insisted, his face darkening. “And I’ve known you since you were a mere hatchling. He cannot love you like a brother the way I can.”

“I understand.” Atem smiled nervously, and to his relief, he was saved by two mermaids swimming up towards them carrying the mesh sack, which was now heavy with dead scales.

“Warrior! King!” she cried, and her companion blushed prettily. “What a pleasure! Two nobles instead of one!”

“Thank you,” Mahad said darkly, lifting the mesh sack out of her arms without smiling. “Good day. Atem?”

“Good day,” Atem said politely, receiving gentle caresses on his arm from the women before he swam hastily after Mahad with uncertainty churning low inside of his stomach.

The more he thought about it, Seto Kaiba’s love for him was sexual, and not brotherly.

No matter. He could ask the human today when he rose to shore to deliver the scales.

* * *

Kaiba slung his bag full of spare clothes over his shoulder and climbed the rock, feeling strangely light and nimble.

He sat cross-legged at the top and closed his eyes, taking several deep breaths, reflecting on his day.

He had done something incredibly brilliant, or incredibly stupid today, depending on how he looked at it.

 _I am test subject one,_ Kaiba thought weakly, wondering if he would start sprouting webs between his toes.

But his cuts and bruises had all healed, and his mind was oddly clear.  
This was very similar to how he’d felt after vigorous sex with the merman.

 _Then maybe his semen has similar properties,_ Kaiba mused, wondering what would happen if he drank Atem’s seed.  
Did he even want to try?  
What if it was poisonous?

Realizing he’d never gotten a call back from the lab, Kaiba slipped his phone out to send them an email, but just as he did so, he heard a faint splash in the water.

Excited, Kaiba shoved his phone into the bag and peered over the edge of the rock, seeing nothing but dark water underneath him.

“Atem?” he called hopefully, and there was no response other than the light waves lapping at shore.

In the water, Mahad grit his teeth tightly and ignored it. It had taken a lot of arguing to keep Atem from following him to make this delivery.  
The human was a bad influence.

He kicked off the rock and swam away quickly, thinking he would tell the king not to pursue a relationship with this human.

Atem was waiting from afar. After having snuck out of the palace, he kept his distance from Mahad, making sure his bodyguard had left the rock before he swam steadily forward. He could see Kaiba waiting for him on the shore, and his skin tingled at the thought of the human touching him again.

He knew he was doing something illegal, but Atem told himself that this was payment in return for the human’s kindness.

Once they got bored of each other, they’d go their separate ways.

Excited, he swam forward quickly, wondering what greeting he would give the human tonight.

Several meters below, Mahad thought he felt Atem’s presence, and his instincts told him to turn back towards the rock, to double check.  
  
If Atem had followed him to shore to greet the human, he had done so alone, and thus endangering himself. Sighing, Mahad turned and swam upwards again, beginning to feel quite tired.  
He was getting too old to babysit the young merman. Atem was fully grown already.  
Why was he acting like a fresh hatchling?!

On shore, Kaiba sat back on his heels and gazed down into the water, disappointment swirling thickly in his chest.

Not Atem.

Whoever it was had left already.

Angry and frustrated, Kaiba slid off the rock and his feet touched the sand.

Damn it. Damn it! Atem had promised to come every week!  
Why would he make such a promise if he was going to break it?

Now furious, Kaiba gave the wet sand a rough kick.  
He had been looking forward to this all day…all week!

Thoughts of Atem were what kept him sane.

Atem hovered beneath the shallow water, hearing all of Kaiba’s angry thoughts, feeling oddly flattered that the human thought of him so often.

Perhaps now would be a good time to reveal himself.

He stuck his hand out of the water and waved, still hearing a tirade of thoughts coming from shore.

_He doesn’t even like me back! I probably scared him off by telling him that I loved him—_

Atem rose slowly out of the water and bobbed gently against the waves, seeing the human pacing back and forth on the beach, feeling a twinge of pity.

This human really liked him.

Deciding to surprise him, Atem swam all the way to the sandy edge, making sure a particularly strong wave washed him to shore, and he rolled comfortably across the sand, gazing down at his exposed tail and waving it absently.

Kaiba heard a wet splash and he jerked his head up, shocked to see Atem lying enticingly on the sand, his scales gleaming in the soft moonlight.

His breath caught in his throat with excitement as he dashed over to the merman, throwing himself down in the sand beside him, hugging him tightly.

Atem laughed joyfully as Kaiba pulled him into a tight embrace and rolled heavily on top of him, his legs tightly straddling his tail.

Mahad held his breath and hovered angrily behind the rock, horrified to see Atem reveal himself on shore and let the human tackle him down in a playful wrestle.  
_  
Atem…!_ Mahad growled internally, furious at the king.

He had half the mind to show himself to drag the royal back into the water and all the way home, but he held back, watching and waiting for the right moment.

Kaiba dug his knees deeper into the wet sand, keeping Atem pinned beneath him as he gazed down into his delicate face, taking in his magnificently spiky hair and the gold wing-shaped earrings that decorated his earlobes.

He leaned down to kiss Atem, gently at first, then harder, relishing in the soft plumpness of his lips and the light tang of salt that lingered on his tongue.

The way Atem’s tail tensed and curled between his legs was an arousing feeling, and Atem’s arms wrapped around his neck were pulling him in deeper. He was drowning in the merman’s wonderfully delicious scent.

Mahad bit his lip so hard, he tasted blood.  
Atem’s tail was curling happily beneath the human’s legs, and they were engaging in an act of kissing.  
Repeated kissing.  
Almost as if they were kissing to mate.

Atem felt Kaiba lick his way down his neck and he opened his eyes slowly, gazing up at the beautiful night sky, taking deep, refreshing breaths.

Amazing…it felt so good. Everything the human did felt good.  
But he was always the one entering. Maybe they could have a change of pace today.

“Seto Kaiba…” Atem said weakly, reaching down to gently pat the human’s head while Kaiba’s lips stopped just beneath his nipple, his hot breath sending shivers down his spine

Kaiba smiled against Atem’s skin, trembling with delight.  
He was living a dream…surely.  
The upper body of this man was beautiful, and the rest of him was a mystery; a delicious, wondrous, sexual mystery.

“I’m sorry I lied to you before,” Atem said shakily, watching Kaiba continue to drag his lips down the side of his body. “I do have a hole—”

“Why didn’t you say so earlier?” Kaiba grinned evilly, his teeth glinting white in the semi-darkness. “Where is it?”

“Behind…me,” Atem replied uncertainly, wondering if this was a good idea.  
  
The waves lapped gently at his tail, and Kaiba ignored the cold water seeping in through his pant legs and into his shoes.

Today was going to be a historic and momentous day.  
He was going to fuck a merman.

The big question now was…how.  
Facedown? Or in his arms?

“Get out of your head,” Atem demanded, tightening his arms around Kaiba’s neck and baring his fangs in frustration. “But if you were giving me a choice, I’d like to remain in your arms.”

“Good,” Kaiba breathed, thinking about it for a moment before he rolled off the merman’s body and sat beside him.

Atem watched with rising interest as the human unbuckled his pants pushed them off his legs, sitting bravely in the sand with his bare bottom.

His stiffness was very visible between his legs, sticking resolutely upright and slick with wetness at the tip.

Staring at it, Atem inched closer towards him, feeling the human trying to pull him onto his lap.

Kaiba bent forward and swept Atem up in his arms with a great effort, sliding the cold tail over his own legs and running his hand down Atem’s side, methodically counting each ridge, wondering where the hole was.

He found a spot above a soft scale and he grinned, shifting Atem in his arms.  
Ah shit…this was going to be hard.  
Was the hole…self-lubricating?  
Also, he was about to lower Atem onto his dick repeatedly while he just laid there in his arms? This would get tiring very quickly.

“What’s wrong?” Atem asked breathlessly, beginning to feel impatient.

“Get on your side,” Kaiba said, shivering slightly from the cold. “You’re heavy, and this isn’t going to work.”

Mahad felt his eyes beginning to water with pain from what he was witnessing.  
The human had pulled Atem into a tight embrace before ordering him to lay on his side.

Oh no…no, no, no!  
He was not seeing this!  
What was happening?!

The human was now prodding the merman’s entrance with his manhood.

Covering his eyes with both of his hands, Mahad sank underwater, no longer wanting to watch anymore, but he was close enough to hear the human’s thoughts, strangely coupled together with Atem’s.

 _“It hurts!”_  
“Found it!”  
“How does he find this enjoyable?”  
“It’s dry…how strange.”  
  
Mahad slowly rose to the surface again, keeping half of his face underwater, his stomach twisting when he saw the human slide his fingers into Atem’s slit in the front before moving to smear the wetness across his backside, and he sank under the water again, feeling hot and cold all over.

How…filthy!  
Merpeople mating looked nothing like this!  
In all his years…on land and in the sea, he had never witnessed anything like this.  
Man and mermaid? Yes  
But man and merman? No.  
This was something completely different.  
  
And judging by Atem’s thoughts, he was neither struggling nor complaining.  
If anything, he was enjoying this!  
  
Kicking off the rock, Mahad swam away quickly, his heart pounding painfully in his chest while his mind spun with confusion.

“That feels…odd,” Atem breathed, and Kaiba kissed him gently down his neck, alternating between dipping his fingers into his lubricated slit and quickly moving to smear it over the hole underneath a scale on his backside.

With his fingers fully coated with Atem’s wetness, Kaiba tentatively inserted a second finger into the tight hole and gave it a firm stretch, hearing the merman gasp and thrash his tail in response, glaring at him.

“You’re quite small, but my hole is smaller,” Atem said defiantly, goosebumps rising along the backs of his arms as Kaiba gave him another teasing thrust.  
He couldn't shake the feeling of being watched.

“You won’t fit,” Atem whispered, feeling Kaiba edge stubbornly closer to him and prod his hole with the tip of his dick. “Human…”

“I have a name, use it.” Kaiba snapped, leaning Atem down against the sand and spreading his fingers wider with effort before pressing his hardness against Atem’s opening and pressing a soft kiss on his neck, giving himself a tentative nudge.

Atem hissed in pain, and after a short pause, Kaiba withdrew and sat up slowly with his brow furrowed in concern.

“Let’s not…” Kaiba said uncertainly, somehow feeling as if he had ruined the mood with his odd poking and prodding. There was no proper lubricant, and Atem seemed not to like it. His glares were putting him off even more.

The mood was gone; ruined by inexperience.

Atem eased himself onto his back and propped himself up on his elbows, nodding stiffly at Kaiba, understanding that the human was afraid of hurting him.

The pain had been off-putting, and there was heavy resignation in the air between them.

“Then why does it feel good for you?” Atem asked heatedly, shivering slightly from the cold, and he wished Kaiba would embrace him warmly again. “Come closer.”

“Because I’m used to it,” Kaiba said plainly, inching up beside Atem and lying down in the sand, tucking his hands behind his head and letting the cold waves lap playfully at his ankles. “And yours is…soft, and it goes in easier. Mine is different.”

He pulled his wet pants halfway up his hips in an attempt to stay warm.

They laid together in silence for a while, with nothing but the sound of waves and the wind around them. Atem gazed up at the sky, taking in the wonderful indigo color and the silver stars twinkling merrily.  
Sighing happily, he held his finger up to trace a constellation.

“Every half moon, those stars always align,” he said softly, and a pale hand came upwards to touch his. Long, slender fingers laced through the back of his hand and held on tightly.

He felt his skin burn pleasantly and he turned to give Kaiba a warm smile.

Kaiba gazed at the merman beside him, taking in the way his hair splayed out wonderfully across the sand, and his voice caught in this throat for the millionth time as he tried to speak.

Even in the dark, Atem seemed to glow with a mysterious aura, and Kaiba found it was difficult to remain composed, given how taken aback he was every time by his beauty.

“I love you,” Kaiba said softly, doing his best to break the silence, and Atem let out a deep laugh, sending a wonderful chill up his spine.

“I know!” Atem replied playfully, rolling on top of Kaiba and draping his arms lazily over Kaiba’s shoulders, pressing his nose down to meet his, inhaling his sweet breath.

Kaiba reached up and threaded his hand through Atem’s hair, pulling him down into a soft kiss, relishing in the salty tang of saliva and the silkiness of his tongue when it slipped in through the tops of his teeth, giving the roof of his mouth a teasing lick, sending another delicious shiver up his body.  
Kissing Atem was like a doing drug he couldn’t quit.  
Why was it so magical and different every time?  
And why couldn’t Atem say that he loved him back?

Atem pulled away softly and grinned, his fang flashing white in the moonlight, “So many compliments, Seto Kaiba. You must really like me.”

“I thought…that was obvious.” Kaiba said through gritted teeth, and Atem grinned prettily again.

“Then let’s make a blood pact,” the merman declared, shaking his blonde bangs out of his face which were beginning to dry. “Because you neglected to bring me a gift for my birthday during our last meeting.”

“ _I_ was the gift,” Kaiba growled, throwing his arms around Atem’s body and rolling heavily on top of him, pinning him down firmly. “You’re lucky I give you the time of day.”

Atem grinned and shut his eyes, enjoying the way Kaiba kissed, licked, and nibbled his way down his neck. He grabbed a fistful of the human’s light brown hair, yanking his head away from his nipple and baring his fangs.

“Make a pact with me, Seto Kaiba,” Atem demanded, his stomach curling with arousal as Kaiba shook his head and pressed his cheek flush against the center of his chest.

“I’m not an idiot,” Kaiba said quietly. “Your bodyguard said that blood pacts were dangerous, even when you fishes do it.”

“Call me a fish one more damn time,” Atem hissed, baring his fangs playfully and shoving Kaiba off his body. “I’ll bite you.”

The CEO laughed and tumbled off the merman’s upper body before he hastily picked his belt up from around his ankles, shivering from the cold.

“Fine, how does it work?” Kaiba asked lightly, wondering if there was some crazy science involved in this act too. “I demand that you come up for air twice a week. Once a week isn’t enough.”

“I demand that you treat me and my people with respect,” Atem shot back readily. “You know of our existence, and you are receiving scales from us. If our relationship were to sour, I don’t want a war.”

Kaiba gaped at the merman, unable to find his own voice after being stunned into silence. S-Seriously? Here he was, asking for more face time, and the merman was retaliating with something political?

“Do you even like me at all?” Kaiba asked venomously, his heart shattering quickly as he noticed Atem’s smile faltering.

“Yes, you’re very handsome,” Atem assured him quickly, but his stomach churned strangely at his own words, and he had a feeling he was doing something wrong. “I can’t surface that often, or I’ll get sick. You know that.”

Kaiba remained silent, trying to quell his turbulent emotions. This “relationship” was just sexual for the merman. Every time he mentioned his feelings for Atem, he was shot down with a gentle smile.

 _I fucked up!_ Kaiba grit his teeth while his ears rang with the empty roars of the waves crashing up against the rock. He was furious with himself.

“I swear…to love you for as long as I am able,” Atem said quickly, his cheeks burning with embarrassment as he held out his wrist to make the pact. “In return, you promise not to tell anyone of our existence, and you will not try to colonize or raid our ocean.”

“Mokuba knows about you,” Kaiba said nastily, curling his cold fingers into a tight fist as he stood over the merman in the semi-darkness. “What the fuck makes you think I want to raid your part of the ocean?”

“Then make the pact,” Atem snapped, lifting a finger and elongating one thin claw on his index finger. “I cut you, and then I cut myself. Our blood mingles. Our word is our bond. Breaking this bond will result in a painful death, and devastating—”

“Yeah, magical shit.” Kaiba smirked coldly and rolled up his wet sleeve. “Hurry up.”

Atem narrowed his eyes and hesitated, mentally pulling up all his previous knowledge of blood pacts.

First, the wording had to be simple and clear.

Second, everything needed to be said in one breath.

Third, blood needed to mingle.

Was that all?

Kaiba noticed the merman had fallen silent, and he slowly knelt by his side, trailing his eyes down his large, red tail, taking in every soft shimmer under the dim moonlight.

Making a blood pact should be fine. He made risky deals in the boardrooms…weekly, and they’ve always paid off. The key was to trust his own instincts, and to know his opponent.  
The merman was easy enough to figure out.

 _I’m his opponent?_ Atem wondered uncertainly, thinking that this was partially true.

“Well?” Kaiba prompted, holding out his exposed forearm and suppressing a shiver. Damn it was cold. Was this deal happening or not? Maybe this thing was like a marriage contract. Could he make the merman grow some legs and join him on land?

“No, I won’t agree to that,” Atem said instantly, sitting up straighter and swiftly scanning the ocean horizon before them.  
He couldn’t shake the feeling of being watched!  
Perhaps this pact was a bad idea.

“Then…no deal,” Kaiba said coldly, withdrawing his arm and moving to stand. “I want to see you often, and I want you to return my feelings. Two simple things, Atem.”

“I will return your feelings,” Atem said hopefully, grabbing onto the human’s arm and gazing deeply into his blue eyes, which had become oddly dark. “You don’t hear me when I say that rising to shore often will make me sick.”

“I’d rather you come up often than return my feelings.” Kaiba shot back, his spirits sinking steadily with every painful beat of his heart. “Or at least…once every two weeks. Once a month?! Give me something that isn’t ‘never’.”

“Very well.” Atem squared his shoulders and tightened his grip over Kaiba’s arm, letting the warmth burn reassuringly into his palm. “I swear meet you on shore as often as I can between my duties, and I will also return your feelings.”

Kaiba nodded stiffly, fixating on Atem’s gold wing-like earring, listening to the thudding of his own heart. Good. That was what he wanted, right? Feelings returned and meeting on shore.

“Now, say you will agree to keep our secret,” Atem said readily, extending the sharp claw on his index finger again and hovering it above a pale patch of skin on Kaiba’s arm, shaking with a mixture of fear and anticipation.

“I swear…I won’t _personally_ tell anyone that you and your fish people exist,” Kaiba announced loftily. “But Mokuba knows, and I can’t control his actions. I don’t want a war and won’t start one.”

“You’re including your brother in your statement?” Atem asked, slightly surprised, but he dismissed it quickly and held up his own arm, still hesitating. “I will…make the cut now. You must say it all in one breath, understood?”

“Yeah, fine,” Kaiba answered carelessly, settling down in the sand comfortably. If this pact would make the merman feel better, he’d do it. This was ridiculous, but this meant he could hear Atem admit his feelings aloud, and that made everything worth it.  
  
Meanwhile, floating behind the rock underneath the water, Mahad froze with cold terror. He had returned after several moments, hoping to see Atem swimming away from shore, but this was a whole other disaster waiting to happen.

Atem was trying to be noble, but he was doing a stupid thing!

He was doing it with the kingdom in mind…but this was so incredibly dangerous! Was there anything he could do to stop this?

“I draw my own blood first,” Atem declared shakily, trailing the tip of his claw lightly down the side of his wrist, and his blood shone eerily green in the low moonlight.

Kaiba blinked rapidly, feeling as if something was off, but he couldn’t figure out what.  
Too late.  
This was happening and there was no backing out now.

“I swear on my blood,” Atem whispered, “to meet you, Seto Kaiba, on shore as often as I can between my duties, and I will also return your feelings.”

He had no idea what that meant, but if it would appease the human, he would say it.

Kaiba swallowed thinly and felt his entire body grow oddly numb, and the world quieted around him. The wind stilled, and the roaring waves suddenly calmed.  
Oh…fucking shit.  
This was some kind of actual voodoo.  
Time to lawyer-up and use vague language.

“And now, state your promise.” Atem said hoarsely, moving his bloodstained arm over Kaiba’s outstretched forearm, letting his blood drip gently onto his pale skin. “Use one breath to speak.”

Kaiba grit his teeth, bracing himself for pain as Atem dragged his nail lightly down the side of his wrist, but to his surprise, there was nothing other than a slight tickle.

He stared down at the odd, greenish drops on his arm, mingling with his own dark red blood, which had trailed quickly down his entire arm, dripping off his elbow and staining his pants. What the fuck?! So much blood from just a tiny scratch?  
No way this was real.

Kaiba’s stomach churned as he spoke quickly. “I swear I won’t tell anyone about you and your fish colony, but I don’t control the actions of people who already know. I also don’t want a war, but if one starts, it’s not on me.”

Atem jerked his hand back, glaring furiously. “That is not what you said earlier!”

“It means the same thing!” Kaiba retaliated nervously, feeling an odd coldness settling into his limbs, suddenly making it harder to breathe.

Underneath the water, Mahad sagged heavily against the rock with defeat.

He had heard the deceitful thoughts going through Seto Kaiba’s mind while Atem said his part of the pact, and had almost called out to Atem in his thoughts, but held back, because he couldn’t see when blood was being drawn, and any interruption of the volatile process might accidentally curse either party.

“Earlier, you said, ‘I don’t want a war and I won’t start one!’” Atem raged, flicking his tail angrily in the shallow waves as the sound of the world came rushing back to his ears. The pact had worked, but Seto Kaiba was a devil-tongued, giving only vague promises.

 “That’s true, I don’t,” Kaiba said hastily, reaching out to touch Atem’s hands, but to his dismay, the merman jerked away with an angry hiss, baring his fangs.

“Your statement absolved you from any responsibility of a war if you were to start one!” Atem growled, his stomach twisting with terror at the thought of what he had just done. He had made a dangerous pact with a dangerous human.  
Mahad and Shadi was right all along.  
This had been a foolish endeavor.  
He had failed, but at least he had managed to retain the secrecy of his people.

“Yeah, but I won’t be starting a war if one does happen!” Kaiba enunciated, thinking the merman was overreacting. “I said—”

“You didn’t say the words, ‘ _I won’t start a war with your kind_ ,’” Atem snapped, eyeing the water frantically. “I’m leaving.”

“I fucking won’t!” Kaiba snarled, his temper also flaring quickly. “But if you people start a war on your own, it won’t be my fault. That’s what I meant.”

“We were talking in terms of us alone,” Atem said coldly, giving the businessman an appraising look. “And you knew that. Think on what you’ve done while I’m gone for the next three moons.”

“Three?!” Kaiba raged, watching the merman roll into a large oncoming wave and the edge of his tail flashed threateningly red under the white foam edge of the beach.

“Yes, three!” Atem called, popping his head up to shout back at the human, feeling betrayed and furious. “I’ll come up when I can, between my duties like I promised. Good bye, human.”

And with that, the mer-king dove down underneath the water and disappeared with a defiant splash.

Kaiba ground his teeth, shivering furiously in the cold.

There was a long silence accompanied with the low crashing of the waves against shore.

Kaiba threw his head back and shouted with all his might, “FUCK!”

He heard his own voice echo thinly up and down the shore, and angry tears stung his eyes.

Whatever.  
Atem would be back soon. He was being forced to wait three months as punishment, and Kaiba swore their next meeting would end on a better note.

He slowly picked up his shoes and dragged his feet heavily over the sand, walking back to his property, hating everything.

* * *

**Author’s note:**

Blood pact and love confessions.

I hope you liked this chapter! Please leave a review!

-Ugli

_-this chapter was edited by setokaibaes-_


	12. I'll make sure to be

Atem powered through the water, shaking with rage.

Shadi was right. Seto Kaiba was a dangerous human who was skilled at making deals—

“My King!”

Atem jerked his head around frantically, seeing Mahad shooting towards him at breakneck speed, carrying his staff tight at his side, his long hair flying out straight behind him in the dark waters.

“So it was you, Mahad,” Atem said as he slowed to a stop, his heart pounding anxiously in his chest as he waited to be reprimanded, but his bodyguard bowed swiftly before grabbing him tightly and giving his arms a firm squeeze. His expression twisted into one pained with worry.

“I heard…I heard it all!” Mahad gasped, his eyes wide with panic. “He deceived you at the last second! What were you thinking, my lord?! He did the exact thing with me on shore while I was bargaining for your freedom! He is a dangerous man!”

“He agreed to the important half,” Atem said slowly, feeling a terrible weight settle into his chest and stay there. “He’s too smart to start a war, not when we are providing him with dead scales.”

“Indeed,” Mahad said shakily, giving the king another reassuring pat on the arm. “Although, I do suggest consulting Isis on the first part of the pact. You agreed to return his feelings. Do you know what that means?”

Atem shook his head nervously and continued to swim deeper while Mahad stuck tightly at his side. “I don’t. Do _you_ know what it means?”

“No, and that’s precisely why we should consult Isis!” Mahad cried, stricken with fear and worry. “If you unknowingly broke the agreement…my king, I fear for you. You’ve already had your brush with death! Your royal blood is not exempt from the consequences of a blood pact!”

“It’s fine,” Atem growled, staring down into the solid darkness before them, wishing they could drop the subject. “He wants a companion to wrestle with. He’ll tire of me soon.”

Mahad said nothing, recalling how the pair had tussled on shore…but it had been coupled with…almost mating. Deciding not to speak of it further, he stayed securely at Atem’s side as they swam deeper towards their hemisphere.

It should be fine.  
Atem was correct.  
Humans were fickle, due to their short life spans.  
The consequences of this blood pact, if any, would fade quickly.

* * *

Kaiba stepped out of the shower and hissed in pain, standing in place and watching blood stream steadily down his arm.

The scratch Atem had left was more of a deep gash, and the bleeding seemed to worsen when he lowered his arm, so Kaiba decided to keep his arm elevated above his head while reaching for his towel, cursing when blood trickled down towards his armpit.

Hating everything, Kaiba hastily dried himself off with one arm and bundled the towel over his bleeding wound.  
It was somehow getting worse now that he had washed hot water over it, and the blood was soaking through the thick white towel.

Cursing, Kaiba stepped out of the bathroom and tried not to panic. This wound looked like it needed stitches. He was also naked because any attempt to get dressed would result in bloodstained clothes.

Holding his breath, Kaiba shut his eyes and counted to ten, his fingertips growing damp as the blood fully drenched through the entire towel. His nostrils filled with a terrible metallic scent, and Kaiba eyed the vials of liquified scales sitting neatly in the open briefcase on his desk.

In a last-ditch effort to stop the bleeding, he dove towards them and uncapped one frantically to throw the liquid down his throat in one gulp.

Shuddering from the sudden icy cold stabbing through his chest, Kaiba coughed and gasped for air, his ears ringing terribly while bright spots dotted the corners of his vision…and then, everything returned to normal.

Breathless with anticipation, Kaiba waited a few minutes before he let the bloody towel fall away from his arm and he inspected the gash, extremely pleased to see that it had fully healed.

Instantaneous.  
Magical.

Triumph bubbled up inside his chest, and Kaiba dared to smile.

He walked to the mirror, still fully naked, and examined himself carefully.  
No cuts, bruises, or scratches. His skin was pale and flawless.

Leaning closer towards his reflection, Kaiba tugged at his cheeks, amazed to discover that his dark circles had even lightened. He felt clear-headed, energetic, and oddly relaxed.

 _No one must ever know._ Kaiba mused darkly to himself, thinking he had found a miracle cure-all. Although, if there ever were bad side-effects, he was risking his own life, and his own well-being.

Dashing into his closet, Kaiba threw on a set of sleepwear and shivered again, still feeling the residual threads of ice leaving his veins. The cold was probably another long-term side effect he’d feel later.

Mer-people were cold-blooded, weren’t they?

Reminding himself to ask the next fish person who surfaced, Kaiba rolled himself up under the sheets and shut his eyes, wishing with all his might for a warm body beside him.

* * *

“Isis!” Mahad cried, pounding on the priestess’s door with urgency. “Please come out—”

Isis swung the door open and glared at Mahad, eyeing Atem at his side. “Can I help you?”

“Something happened…on shore,” Mahad began, throwing a furtive look over his shoulder as two palace maidens swam by, looking curiously over at them from the hallway. “Let us speak in private.”

“Shore matters don’t concern me,” Isis responded haughtily. “Go see Advisors Solomon or Shadi. Good night, men.”

And she began to close the door, but Atem interrupted her hastily. “I made pact with the human, Seto Kaiba. I may have agreed to something dangerous.”

Sighing, Isis opened her door further and blocked the entryway, giving Mahad an apprehensive look. “Only the King may enter. Go back to the men’s wing, Mahad.”

“Very well,” Mahad replied icily, throwing Atem a meaningful look before swimming away quickly.

“What now, my king?” Isis furrowed her brow in concern and dragged Atem into her room by the arm, peeking out into the hallway for eavesdroppers before she closed it again.

“What does it mean to ‘return feelings’?” Atem asked in a rush. His blood ran cold for a moment with dread. Maybe it was something really terrible and he had doomed the kingdom by making this pact with Seto Kaiba.

“I’m not sure!” Isis shook her head and her jewelry tinkled pleasantly in the silence between them. “It has many meanings, and I don’t know how you conducted your pact, my king.”

“Right…I see.” Atem said hoarsely, his throat closing up as he tried to compose himself. Was there no one who could help him regarding this matter?!

“I think it’s time for you to make a trip to Confinement,” Isis said gently, resting her hand on the door. “Bring them gifts, and they will answer your questions better than I can.”

“Can you come with me?” Atem asked desperately, his chest tightening with anxiety at the thought of swimming through the dark chasm alone. The last time he had been down there was with his late father, while he was still a fresh hatchling, and that had been an obligatory royal visit.

“You’ll be fine,” Isis said with a dismissive wave, opening the door with a certain finality and ushering him out of her room. “You make journeys to shore alone, and those are considerably more dangerous.”

The door was shut in his face, and Atem shook his head nervously, swimming away through the palace hallways with a churning stomach.

Fine. Perhaps it was time to seek help from the mer-people who have been to shore more than anyone else.

Rushing into his room, Atem leaned the heavy door open and swam straight for the small stash of hand-strung adornments he kept from his many decades of royal processions, and he picked a set of clear opal bracelets.

Atem thought perhaps the mer-people in Confinement could appreciate the calming glow of an opal, even in their darkness.

Swimming out of his room, he ignored Mana’s worried cries behind him as he headed straight for the palace gates, nodding at the first guard he passed while quickly saying, “I’m visiting Confinement. I won’t be long.”

The guard nodded silently, and Atem set off at a frantic pace, his heart pounding furiously as thoughts of Seto Kaiba filled his mind once more. He was now regretting storming off during their last encounter. 

Why did that pale human have such a memorable face?  
Why did his eyes hold such captivating intensity?

The air grew thinner the deeper he swam, and Atem swallowed his nerves, willing himself to continue into the darkness.

There was nothing here now, other than a wide expanse of ocean floor beneath him, and all was eerily quiet. He had passed the residential grottos several meters ago while he swam lost in his own thoughts.

The pressure also grew heavier around his shoulders, and Atem barreled on, keeping the opal bracelets safely stacked on his own arm. The way they clinked against his golden armbands provided some comfort, but the king couldn’t help but feel truly alone as he pushed through the still waters.

After a few more sprints through the emptiness, a dark jagged step opened beneath him, and he paused, hovering over the fissure while his skin crawled with uncertainty.  
This ought to be fine.  
This endeavor was for more knowledge of Seto Kaiba and his odd behavior.

Gritting his teeth, Atem dove straight down into the crevice, blinking rapidly as sand and debris came rushing up, suddenly blinding him.

Coughing and cursing, Atem continued swimming down slowly, hearing voices echoing dimly from afar, and his anxiety eased slightly.  
There were people down here after all.

The soft glow of bioluminescent fish trapped in handmade orbs were shoved into the cracks along the fissure walls, lighting the way with surprising ease, and Atem began to relax.

This was going to be fine. This was all going to be fine.

“Halt!”

A mermaid’s voice rang out sharply, and Atem skidded to a stop, pressing his hand along the jagged wall for support, eyeing the shadowy figure hovering in the distance before him.

“State your name and business!” she cried, and Atem saw the blur of a pointed staff at her side.

Ah...the prison guard?

“King Atem…bearing gifts, and seeking advice,” Atem said quietly, hearing his own voice travel oddly in the confined space.

The mermaid approached him slowly, her flowing blonde hair almost enveloping the entire space around them, and Atem held his ground nervously, doing his best not to back down.  
Nothing to fear.  
Mermaids and mermen in Confinement were people too.

She narrowed her eyes fiercely at him before bowing curtly, lowering her weapon at her side respectfully. “Your majesty. Thank you for gracing us with an unannounced visit.”

Atem nodded silently. His voice caught in his throat as he stared at her enormous breasts barely contained in her seaweed corset.

“Come, I’ll lead the way,” she said sweetly, her demeanor changing instantly. She swam ahead while calling over her shoulder, “you may address me as Mai!”

Atem followed her after a moment’s hesitation and tucked her name away safely in his mind.

They floated slowly through the stony gorge, and Atem spied many pinpricks of light coming from tiny caves people were living in.

Giant curtains of dark woven kelp hung in several cave openings for privacy, and Atem looked away hastily.  
These people lived without doors…how terrifying.  
There was seemingly no sense of privacy here.

“Listen up, you good for nothings! The king is here! Pay your respects!” Mai shouted, banging her staff roughly against the stone wall, and Atem did his best not flinch as several large chunks of rock came loose and tumbled off the side, falling into the darkness below.

Several heads poked out from the caves and disappeared back inside. The silence was deafening, and Atem broke out into a nervous sweat.

“I don’t need anyone to do anything,” he said hastily, gesturing for her to lower her weapon again. “I’d like to speak to someone who knows human terms regarding ‘feelings’ and ‘love’.”

“HA!” a shrill laugh echoed from behind them, and Atem whirled around, startled, seeing another beautiful mermaid lounging inside her cave with two companions at her side, preening themselves with an air of boredom.

“Well, you’ve got her!” the mermaid jeered, pointing an accusing finger at Mai. “She’s the queen of luring and entrapping human men. Ask her!”

“Shut up,” Mai shot back nastily, and her demeanor changed again when she addressed Atem. “Follow me. We’ll talk privately.”

“Yeah! Talk privately about how known you are on every shore!” the other mermaids in the caves began laughing and pelting rocks at them out of their cave openings, and Atem ducked frantically as a stone narrowly missed his ear.

Mai’s hand wrapped around his arm and Atem let himself be dragged through the chaos and into the safety of a cave, where another short-haired mermaid rushed to shut the woven curtains behind them.

“This is my cave-mate, Anzu,” Mai said carelessly, tossing her weapon down on the floor with a clang and throwing herself down on a ratty sponge couch. “Hey, toss me a tie for my hair.”

A familiar piece of cloth soared past Atem’s nose, and Mai snatched it up quickly, securing her hair up successfully while Atem stared intently.

It was the thin article of clothing Seto Kaiba wore around his neck, except this one was red and had thin white stripes.

So it was called…a tie?

“H-Hi…” Anzu said shyly, ducking her head down into a polite bow, and she swam away quickly, hovering in the far back, eyeing him with deep apprehension.

“You don’t greet a king like that,” Mai snorted, kicking back and throwing her tail up on the edge of the couch with an elegant flick. “You do a proper bow.”

“Oh shut up Mai, as if _you_ did that,” Anzi retaliated cattily, and she clapped a hand over her mouth, her eyes wide with a mixture of fear and panic.

“I did,” Mai shot back, and Atem continued to hover awkwardly by the door, his tail sore from the long swim, and he wondered if he could just…sit on the floor, because no one had offered any place to sit.

“So what’s your question, O’ great one?” Mai drawled, twirling a strand of hair between her fingers. “Pretty. Are those for me?” She pointed at Atem’s arms, and Atem nodded slowly, lifting the bracelets off his wrist and holding them out to her.

To his increasing surprise, the mermaid Anzu zoomed forward and snatched them out of his hand before he could react, and Mai grabbed onto Anzu’s arm as she passed, wrestling her for a bracelet.

Atem gaped, watching the women tussle playfully before Mai bounced back down onto the sponge couch with a satisfied sigh, admiring the opals and seashells on her wrist. “Wow, I haven’t seen opals this clear since…a century ago! You really are a royal. People probably throw this at the ground by your fins.”

“Shut up, Mai,” Anzu muttered from the far back and Atem felt his cheeks grow warm.

He then decided to sit silently on the floor by the door and ask all of his questions in a rush, because he was eager to leave.

“Tell me what it means to return feelings. And about human love, but not human attachment. What it means when a human said he loves you, but not like a brother or a friend.”

There was a thick, stifling silence in the cave, and Anzu appeared out of the darkness again, her eyes wide with curiosity. “A man said this to you? Or did a man say this to…another mermaid in the palace?”

“He said it to me,” Atem said firmly. He had thought about lying, but he knew his story would never leave this cave, so his secrets were safe here. He was beginning to appreciate Isis’s advice more and more.

“Wow, a gay human,” Mai mused, looking excited. “What’s he like? What color is his hair? Eyes? Skin?”

“Mai…” Anzu muttered from the back again, but she was soundly ignored.

“My favorite human was blonde, like me,” Mai declared proudly, squaring her shoulders back and moving to unclasp her corset, before she paused and stopped. “Oops. Forgot. You’re a man. I won’t undress now.”

Speechless, Atem just nodded, wondering where he was. These women behaved so differently, it was hard to take in.

“But you like the man?” Anzu prodded, emerging from the far back again. “You’re not interested…in female humans?”

“I don’t know.” Atem replied impatiently, now feeling as if he was being interrogated for a crime. “Please explain the difference between human attachment and love. And why are you being punished for it?”

“We _shouldn’t_ be punished for it,” Mai declared. “Love is love. We’re all people anyway. Mer-people just have this gross pride about being the better species. Mating with a human makes you ‘dirty’ and infertile. Now _that’s_ a myth.”

“I don’t think it’s a myth—" Atem said carefully, but he was talked over as Mai began to rant.

“Humans love more deeply than any mer-person I’ve ever met,” she declared. “They’ll go to any lengths for you. Any. If you wanted a chunk of the moon, they would find a way to bring it to you.”

“Impossible,” Atem said, shaking his head, wondering if Seto Kaiba would do that for him. “Why? Why would they do that?”

“Because you asked. And because he...or she…loves you,” Anzu added unhelpfully. “Human love is like an obsession. Once they’ve decided you’re it…they’ll devote their entire life to you. They have a concept called marriage—”

“Another time, Anzu, he’s here for the ‘feelings’,” Mai interrupted, waving a manicured claw over her nose delicately. “I assume you’re talking about a Japanese human? He asked you to ‘return his feelings’?”

“Yes…yes!” Atem sat up straighter, his mind slowly clearing as understanding began to dawn on him. These two women were smart and knew what they were talking about.  
  
Why didn’t they just teach it this way in the schools?  
Sure, it was vulgar…but it was less confusing than using the term ‘human attachment’.

“You’re fucked.” Mai cackled, throwing her ponytail of hair over her shoulders and laughing. “That means he’s already latched onto you and wants to hear you say, ‘ _I also love you_!’”

“He did…think that in his mind…quite often,” Atem said faintly, hearing Anzu gasp and cover her mouth again. “I can reverse it, can’t I?”

“You can try,” Mai nodded ruefully, admiring her bracelet again. “But chances are, if he’s seen you more than once, touched you, even if it’s just on your hand, they’re captivated. That’s why it’s a crime.”

Atem shook his head silently, confused.

“We’ve ruined their lives,” Anzu whispered, sinking to the floor and looking extremely forlorn. “Their short, short lives, they’ve chose to devote it to us, waiting at the shore for us to appear again. It’s cruel. There hasn’t been one human who hasn’t died a painful death waiting for their mer-lover on shore.”

Atem’s heart stopped mid-beat and ice shot through his core.  
Oh…no.  
It _was_ too late to reverse anything he had ever said and done with Seto Kaiba.

“Yeah, once he starts waiting for you on shore, that’s it,” Mai added sadly. “I mean, I visited him all throughout his life. He even had kids with another human woman. _That_ was painful to see.”

Atem clasped his hands together tightly, feeling himself shake.  
Seto Kaiba had already sworn to wait for him on shore, even demanding constant visits. The pact had definitely made things worse.  
It sounded like his own experience might be going down the same path as these women.

“You will escape persecution though, because you’re a royal,” Anzu said coldly, gazing into Atem’s face with a solemn expression. “It doesn’t matter if it’s a human man or woman, the kingdom won’t throw you down here with us when you’ve got so much knowledge and responsibilities.”

“I know less than you!” Atem whispered hoarsely, hearing his own voice waver uncharacteristically with mild panic. “What do I do? He said he loves me! He wanted weekly visits, which I’ve managed to bargain down to three moon cycles. We even made a blood pact!”

There was another long, stifling silence. Atem did his best to take steady, even breaths.

He had committed a crime! A crime against a human!

“Oh, shit.” Mai whispered, giving Anzu a dark look, which her friend mirrored with a frightened grimace. “A blood pact? You touched human blood?”

“Yes.” Atem replied miserably, feeling tears building behind his eyelids, and he willed himself to stay composed. He would not litter his tears on the mermaiden’s floor. His opal bracelets had been poorly received and was probably considered offensive.

 “Have you met often? Kissed?” Anzu pressed, swimming closer to Atem and sitting closer to him on the floor, now seemingly more at ease. “And how did you meet? Don’t make that expression. It’s not a crime. Don’t let people tell you your love is a crime.”

Atem nodded mutely, his shoulders heavy with guilt and his chest tight with memories of Kaiba’s lips on his own. Of course the mermaids down here, serving time for _their_ crimes, would tell him that his actions weren’t criminal.

“Will he really wait on shore for me until the end of his life?” Atem whispered, unable to answer Anzu’s questions while his mind was fixated on Kaiba’s silhouette sitting on the tall rock on shore. He had doomed the human for the rest of his life!

“Can you convince him not to?” Anzu asked gently, reaching out to pat Atem on his hand warmly. “I managed to do that, and my sentence has been shortened by one century. Mai here…well, her humans kept coming back, to show her their children, to bring her gifts, so technically it was their fault, but the court deemed Mai guilty on all counts anyway. She influenced them to do it.”

“I had a different human on each shore,” Mai boasted, completely unfazed. “American humans are the rowdiest, but they sure know how to show you a good time. Japanese humans are quiet, but are really skillful lovemak—”

“No one wants to hear about that right now,” Anzu interrupted angrily, inching closer to Atem again, ducking her head down shyly in another polite bow. “Does anyone know?”

“Yes, you two, and my bodyguard,” Atem answered automatically, feeling extremely removed from the entire situation. “My bodyguard heard us make the pact, but I don’t think he fully understood the full gravity of what I did.”

“I don’t even think _you_ understand the full gravity of what you did,” Mai scoffed, pointing at him playfully. “You look shell-shocked. Give it few moons to sink in. And go visit him some more while you still can before anyone else finds out.”

“Mai…that’s _bad advice,_ he’ll get caught,” Anzu argued, grabbing Atem’s hand and giving it a tight squeeze. “Humans move through life very fast. Before you know it, he’ll have a wife, and he’ll forget about this whole thing. You’ll be absolved from all guilt.”

A crushing pang seared through Atem’s chest and he found himself shaking his head angrily. “I don’t want to watch him marry and have children.”

“Uh…too bad?” Mai laughed coldly before sobering up quickly. “Humans move on whether or not you want them to. You can bind them to you, with eternal love and obsession like we said earlier, but, that’s a c-r-i-m-e.”

Atem lowered his head, finding it getting more and more difficult to breathe.  
This was all terrible news. There had to be another way.

“Hey, king, wanna know how to make Human Love less of a crime?” Mai asked seriously, sitting up straight and propping her elbows up on her fin. “Just do what you both want. Go see him. You want to see him every day? I’ve got it figured out. You can calculate your weight and journey length to avoid shore-sickness.”

“You can do that?” Atem asked, once again speaking without thinking, and he mentally berated himself for sounding interested.

“Yes,” Anzu nodded encouragingly. “They tell you you’ll get sick if you go up every day, but that’s a lie. Our ancestors rose to shore daily all the time. They just changed the rules because of the wars. Just make sure you keep track of time, and don’t dry out in the sun, or it’ll be obvious you’ve been to shore.”

“Drink and eat before each journey, and make sure no one follows you,” Mai said stating the obvious, but looking very serious. “And bring me something, won’t you? I want a new tie for my hair. That’s the least you could do. Get me a nice color…like green or blue.”

“I’ll do my best,” Atem said solemnly, wondering how he could smuggle a human item blatantly out of the palace without being questioned.

“You can hide it in litter you collect,” Anzu said, reading his mind eerily. “Small items and gifts can be wrapped in seaweed and smuggled out. Bring me a lipstick, okay? That can be hidden in your palm.”

“A lip…a lip what?” Atem asked weakly, letting the women help him up and escort him out through the seaweed curtained doors.

“The man will know what it is when you ask him,” Anzu said calmly. “And no more red. We already have a ton of reds.”

“I don’t understand.” Atem said, feeling unusually weak, and the women gave him sympathizing looks, gently pulling him through the dark fissure, flanking him strongly, keeping him steady.

“The air here is thin, you’ve stayed too long.” Mai said firmly, and Atem tried to draw in a breath to answer but found his chest pounding with pain with every beat of his heart.

“I’m so sorry, we lost track of time!” Anzu cried, her voice echoing mutedly as they rose higher towards the surface of the fissure. “Please be well. Thank you for the bracelets. I love them! It’s been so long since I’ve worn mer-made jewelry.”

Atem bid the women goodbye with a formal wave, and he swam up towards the dim light above, hearing Mai call out to him, “Make sure he gives you that diamond ring! That’s when you’ve really won his heart!”

“The cheap diamond doesn’t mean anything!” Anzu’s voice echoed up after Mai’s husky laugh. “Men just like giving jewelry! I’ve gotten rings from all of my men!”

“Because you’re prettier…” Mai’s voice was now faint, and Atem arrived at the top of the rocky chasm, taking deep, shuddering breaths of clean air.

Shooting upwards through the water, Atem finally reached warm, comfortable air, and he flipped over onto his stomach to gaze down at the jagged opening in the ocean floor beneath him.

It no longer looked dark and threatening.  
  
Rolling over onto his back, Atem closed his eyes and tried to relax.

The women were right.  
There was no reason to panic.  
Just because the rest of mer-society saw Human Love as a crime, didn’t necessarily mean it _was_ a crime.

Feeling extremely lighthearted, Atem set off back towards the palace, his mind filled with warm, happy thoughts of breaking the news of every-day shore visits to Seto Kaiba.

The look on his handsome face was going to be priceless.

* * *

**Author’s note:**

Atem finally learns the difference between Human Attachment and Human Love.  
Mai and Anzu make an appearance.  
Kaiba ingests more liquified scales to heal his wounds. That man better watch out before he starts showing fish-like symptoms or something.

-edited by setokaibaes-

pwease leave a comment if you liked :D your opinions are the fuel to my writing fire

xo  
Ugli


	13. every cliche

Kaiba switched the shower on sleepily and stuck his foot into the steaming water.  
It was warm.  
Satisified with the temperature, Kaiba leaned into the shower with the rest of his body and sighed contentedly.  
  
Suddenly, the water became boiling hot, scalding his skin terribly, and Kaiba let out a pained yell, stumbling back out of the shower as his body was consumed with a horrible burning fire.

Panting and shivering, Kaiba threw himself out of the bathroom and stood dripping wet in the middle of his room, gazing down at himself, the shock numbing him completely.

His skin had become red and angry. Stinging welts and large patches of flesh were already missing from the lower half of his leg—the one he had first stuck in the shower, and that was when the pain really hit.

Someone had lit his body on fire and he was being burnt alive.  
  
Kaiba shut his eyes and let out a strangled yell, dimly aware that this was an unpredictable side-effect of ingesting the scales.

Dragging himself over to his desk, Kaiba clumsily grabbed the last two vials he had, and barely managed to swallow them fully while his vision began fading in and out.  
  
Fuck. Shit.

A welcome, icy cold wave washed over him, instantly numbing the pain, and his mind hummed oddly with relief.

Sagging against the back of his desk, Kaiba gasped for breath and watched as his skin began healing rapidly.  
Fuck.  
That had been the most painful thirty seconds in his entire life.  
He had accidentally boiled himself.  
The patches of flesh missing from his leg were akin to third degree burns.

It seemed…hot water was dangerous to the mer-people.

“Master Kaiba?” Isono’s concerned voice floated through the closed door, and Kaiba shut his eyes, still trying to compose himself. His body was still cold, and now it was completely numb.

To heal the burns, he had ingested more scales. Wasn’t he exacerbating the problem? Was he going to become dependent on these scales?

Isono eased the door open quietly, shocked to see Kaiba sitting on the floor, wet and naked, gripping two empty glass vials in his pale fist.

“Master Kaiba!” The manservant rushed over to help, but Kaiba waved him away angrily, his chest heaving with effort as he tried to stand.

Isono disobeyed boldly and helped the young master to his feet, wrapping an arm around Kaiba’s slender torso and pulling him up steadily.

“F-Fuck.” Kaiba shivered, his voice trembling uncharacteristically as his teeth chattered from the cold. “I can’t…take hot showers anymore.”

“What happened? Do I need to call the doctor?” Isono asked nervously, feeling Kaiba twist out of his grasp and march back into the bathroom without acknowledging him.

The door slammed, and Isono found himself standing alone in the master bedroom, thoroughly confused.

Kaiba switched the shower on again tentatively and made sure to keep the water on the coldest setting, his mind churning with dread.

If anyone spilled coffee on him…hell, if he spilled coffee on himself, would it result in a second degree burn from the hot liquid?

 _And I don’t have any more vials of liquid scales if I burn myself again today_ , Kaiba growled to himself, poking his finger into the cold water. To his surprise, he discovered it was warm.

Frowning at the water setting, Kaiba checked it again. Yes, the dial was set to cold.

Inching the handle a few centimeters to adjust the temperature again, Kaiba waited for the water to grow even colder, and he reached a shaking hand out to touch it, pleased to discover that the colder the water, the warmer he felt.

 _I_ am _turning into a fish_ , Kaiba thought irritably to himself, stepping into the shower and sighing nervously.

This water was lukewarm at best.  
If he wanted a “hot” shower, the water probably needed to be below freezing.

Time to upgrade the shower.

Sighing to himself, Kaiba tried to relax. It was fine. He would adapt. It wasn't like he was growing fins anytime soon.

* * *

Isis approached Atem on his throne and bowed prettily. “My King. How was your visit to Confinement?”

Atem sat up straighter, instantly alert.

“It was…enlightening,” he answered seriously. “I think I finally understand.”

“That’s good,” Isis said warmly, swimming up to Atem’s side and resting a hand on his reassuringly. “How will you proceed? We’re holding Open Court now…what will you say?”

Atem swallowed tensely, seeing the members of his court slowly gather at the edges of the throne room, emerging from the hallways and gazing at him apprehensively.  
How was he going to break the news of his pact with Seto Kaiba to his court without sounding too radical?

“My lord,” Mahad said deeply bowing and lowering his staff respectfully. “We are all present.”

Atem rose from the throne and made polite eye-contact with each mer-person floating around him, his heart pounding with anxiety.

“I do have some news,” Atem said, hearing his own voice echo mutely in the crowded room. “It is regarding the human, Seto Kaiba.”

“Ah yes, that cretin,” Shadi said, raising his staff in anger. “You’re still speaking with him?”

“Your anger is understandable,” Atem said, feeling the room hum with discontent at the mention of Kaiba’s name. “But he is—"

“He was the human who freed our king,” Mahad said, rising quickly to Atem’s defense, and he glared at Shadi while Solomon interjected, “He is the human in contact with the people who captured Atem in the first place!”

“But he negotiated for his release!” Isis cried, also rising to Atem’s defense, and very quickly, people began arguing amongst themselves.

Atem swallowed thinly, realizing that his court wasn’t aware that Kaiba was the one who had first captured him.

If his people were reacting with such hostility towards someone who freed him, Atem knew he could never tell anyone that Kaiba was the one who had netted him in the first place.

“Order…please!” Atem called, holding his hand for quiet, and he quickly lowered it after seeing his fingers shake slightly. “He is a kind human at heart, and I’ve made a pact with him regarding the secrecy of our civilization.”

“You…what?!” Solomon roared, and Mana threw him a panicked look.

The aging merman dove towards Atem and hovered inches from his nose, vibrating with anger and fear. “You-You touched…human blood? What did you say? Repeat the pact, word for every word here for us now!”

A heavy silence settled over the throne room as Atem gathered himself and gave Solomon the most confident smile he could muster. “Very well.”

He gazed around the room one more time, catching panicked looks from Mahad, Rishid, and Isis before he spoke carefully, “I promised to return his feelings, as well as visit him as often as I can. In return, he promised not to start a war, or mention our species to anyone on land who doesn’t already know.”

“What does that mean?! What feelings?” Mana cried, pressing her hands to her face, and other people mumbled their agreement.

“I thought it was something dangerous,” Atem said anxiously, nodding at Solomon who remained impassive. “A visit to the mer-people in Confinement told me it was nothing to worry about. As long as I keep him happy on shore, there won’t be a dispute.”

“Keep him happy on shore,” Shadi repeated, sounding very cold and skeptical. “Why is that _your_ duty? Humans live happily on shore regardless of what you do.”

“Our agreement was for me to surface because he enjoys my company,” Atem said, now beginning to regret ever bringing up the pact, and his court grumbled angrily.

“You are surfacing _for_ him?” Isis rounded on him, her eyes narrowed with concern. “May I remind you that your duty is here, below, with us, not above, to him!”

“He’ll tire of me soon,” Atem assured her, but no one seemed convinced.

“You’ve tied yourself into an agreement for a shore-relationship!” Solomon declared, pointing his staff at Atem. “You are now the only sitting royal in our history with a blood pact hanging over your head…with a _human_ no less! Not another mer-person. A human!”

And arguing broke out once more. Even some of the palace maidens stuck their heads out of the hallways to peer into the throne room, wondering what the commotion was all about.

“Please…everyone!” Atem floated closer to the center of the throne room, his skin burning from all the worried and hostile glares from his counsel. “If he wanted to harm me, I’d be dead. Instead, what is he asking for? Dead scales from our salons, and my company.”

“He’s taking care of our garbage too,” Mahad said quickly, pointing at a tiny dot of a ship hovering above their hemisphere. “Atem made another agreement with him on land, while in captivity. What human willingly cleans up their own garbage from our waters?”

“A human who wants something in return!” Rishid cried, shaking his pony-tailed head. “He wants to see us! He wants to tell the world about us.”

“I _just_ said I swore him to secrecy,” Atem fumed, now beginning to lose his patience with his staff. “I have also consulted with everyone who could possibly help me, and they all agree that making the human happy is in our best interest.”

There was an eerie and unpleasant silence before Solomon broke it with more cynicism, “So you _consulted_ with a bunch of shore-loving mer-people who committed crimes against humans.”

“I did! And they were helpful.” Atem raged, thoroughly fed up with fighting for his beliefs in his own court. “Visiting the human on shore will be added to my other shore-related duties. You’re all dismissed.”

Swimming off in an angry huff, Atem curled his fists at his side and made his way down the main hallway, towards the palace gates.

“My king…wait!” Mahad swam after Atem, carrying a spare staff. “Please, take this. Don’t journey to shore unarmed ever again.”

Atem nodded stiffly in thanks and accepted the weapon from Mahad before turning to leave again. He could feel heated eyes on his back as he passed the palace gates and begin to ascend.

Everyone was being unreasonable.  
Seto Kaiba was a good human.  
Kaiba had released him, and Atem was sure that even if Kaiba got nothing in return for it, his release would’ve still happened because he had showed signs of sickness.

Atem brushed past the guards at the edge of the hemisphere and didn’t bother to wave. He was angry and wanted people to know.

Shooting upwards through the water at breakneck speed, Atem briefly enjoyed the way the water brushed quickly through his bangs.

He slowed down after a bit, remembering the mermaid’s advice about daily shore travel. He needed to pace himself, stay nourished, and pay attention to the passing of time.

Swimming on steadily, Atem eyed the sunny streams of light coming down from surface with determination.

Seto Kaiba had better be there on that damn rock!

* * *

Kaiba stepped into his lab and was immediately greeted by two of his scientists, who looked excited to see him.

“Mr. Kaiba! Good news,” the one on his left said, smiling warmly and holding up an electronic pad for him to read. “We’ve devised another formula…”

Kaiba nodded, only half-listening. He needed more of the liquified scales and was planning on keeping a personal supply.

“Which of you liquidized the first batch?” Kaiba asked, completely ignoring her earlier statement, and he received a frown.

“I did that, with Mr.Yin, but he’s not here today. Did you want the process in writing?”

“Yes, send me a copy of that, and everything you have here,” Kaiba said gruffly, scrolling through the report and handing the pad back to her. “Digital copies to me, personally, for everything.”

“Very well,” she said plainly, tossing her hair over her shoulder and walking off to her station.

Kaiba walked through each of the stations, inspecting every work surface, pleased to see progress on everyone’s desk.

He approached the large freezer at the back of the room and yanked the door open, relieved to see more untouched vials of freshly liquified scales, and he pointed at them, calling over his shoulder, “Are these samples used?”

“No, they’re left over from this week’s batch,” came a reply, and Kaiba nodded stiffly, satisfied.  
Nice. These were now all his.

He swept them up and tucked them safely into his briefcase. Snapping the lid shut, he straightened up and glanced around, expecting to receive odd looks, but he was ignored.

“Since we always have extra, I’ll be downsizing the batches being sent here,” Kaiba announced, waiting for a reaction, but all he got were silent nods. “I take it by this reaction, we have more than enough?”

“Yes, we have even more than that,” a lab worker commented casually from their station, holding another clear vial of scales up to the light. “With the current projected amount, we have enough to fill several warehouses with this serum.”

“Try making other cosmetics with it too,” Kaiba suggested haphazardly, walking excitedly to the elevator doors. “We can move past serums because the liquid is versatile.”

“It is…but the liquid separates!” someone called, and Kaiba waved carelessly over his shoulder as he stepped into the elevator. “Figure it out!”

He leaned against the elevator walls and sighed with mild relief.  
It was good that the mer-people were over-delivering their scales.  
  
If this kept up, he’d have gallons in his personal stash of liquified scales to ingest for any emergency.

* * *

Atem popped his head up over the waves and took a deep breath, filling his lungs with fresh salty air.

He swept his gaze over the shore, feeling a pang of dismay as he realized it was empty.

Swimming closer, he held his breath, wondering where Seto Kaiba was. Didn’t he swear to be on the shore no matter what? Wasn’t he breaking the pact now?

Irritated, Atem approached the rock and dove under the surface, seeing a sack of mesh scales still hanging off its hook in the small opening.

So, someone still hadn’t come to collect this week’s garbage? Perhaps Seto Kaiba had already lost interest?!

 _Well, that was quick_ , Atem fumed, popping his head up again and raking his gaze up and down the empty shore. There was a human residence on a small hill, and no roads in sight. This really was a private beach.

Atem twisted around behind him to see if there were any boats or yachts tethered to any docks nearby, but there was nothing.

Tossing his staff onto the shore in frustration, Atem dove down to inspect the shallow ground, noticing that even this beach was quite clean. Wasn’t it possible for humans to stake claims on land that also touched the ocean? Human greed really knew no bounds.

Atem surfaced again and bobbed gently along with every incoming wave, feeling an odd sense of loneliness. He had expected Kaiba’s face to be the first thing he saw when surfacing. It hadn’t occured to him that the Kaiba wouldn’t show up.

 _I’ve worried for nothing,_ Atem growled, wondering if he ought to leave.

Deciding to make the journey worth it, he let a large wave wash him onto shore, and he flipped over onto his back, gazing up at the purple sky, enjoying the sunset. This was fine too.

A nice private, quiet land for vacation.

Footsteps pattered from afar, and Atem sat up nervously, his heart pounding with fear at the thought of being seen. Had he been seen? Who was that?!

A tiny figure with long black hair was running from the house, waving an arm excitedly at him.

 _Ah, the child,_ Atem thought mildly, relaxing with relief.

Mokuba dashed down the sandy wooden ramp, breathless with anticipation. He tapped the side-button on his phone three times, signaling to Seto that the merman was here.

“Mermaid!” Mokuba cried happily, his toes squishing warmly in the sand as he ran towards the figure lying down by the rock. “I missed you! How’s your home?”

Atem blinked rapidly and nodded, unsure of how to answer this question as the child approached him with speed. “I—My home is…doing well.”

“Whoa,” Mokuba skidded to a halt, eyeing the pointed spear stuck into the sand a few feet away from Atem’s arm. “I-Is that yours?”

Atem followed Mokuba’s chubby finger towards the staff stuck in the sand behind his head, just out of reach, and he nodded, “I threw it a bit too far. Could you bring it to me?”

“Yep!” Mokuba cried, excited at the thought of getting to touch a trident.

“It’s not a trident,” Atem said, mildly amused. He watched the child yank the staff out of the sand with ease and hold it up to the sky, looking awestruck.

“This is so cool!” Mokuba stabbed the spear playfully at the rock, shouting, “Hyaa!!”

“Please…give it back, it’s not a toy,” Atem said with all the seriousness he could muster. “Where is your brother?”

“Seto is at work,” Mokuba said, sitting down in the sand after handing Atem the weapon. “He said to tell me when you’re here. I told him, so…he should be coming now.”

“I see,” Atem nodded quietly. “And do you live there?” He pointed at the house on the cliff.

“Nope, that’s our vacation home,” Mokuba answered, waving a hand over his shoulder at the large property. “We have those everywhere.”

The two sat in silence for a while before Atem remembered the requests from the mermaids.

“Hey, Mokuba,” Atem gave the child a small smile. “Do you perhaps have access to …ties?”

“What?” Mokuba ruffled his hair in confusion, watching the merman make a gesture around his neck, and he understood instantly.  “Oh! Neckties?! Yeah! Wait…why?”

“Could I have a few?” Atem asked hopefully, flipping over onto his stomach and fanning his tail excitedly over a shallow oncoming wave. “Blue, and green? Or any other ones with pretty patterns?”

“Wait here! I’ll get them from Seto’s stash.” Mokuba laughed excitedly and leapt to his feet, showering Atem’s arm in sand. “He’s got tons! And he never wears the ones with patterns. I’ll be right back!”

Atem watched the child run off down the beach, and he leaned into a warm wave washing over his waist. This child was so cute.

Kaiba was just pulling into the property’s sprawling driveway when he saw Mokuba racing up the ramp back into the house.

Shutting off the engine, Kaiba got out of the car and dashed down to the beach, seeing a familiar figure lounging in the sand beside the drop-off rock.

_Atem!_

Atem pricked his ears, hearing Kaiba’s voice call his name with such force in his thoughts, it made his hair stand on end.

He twisted around to see a tall figure slipping and sliding down the sandy edge of the cliff, and he let out a laugh.

So, Kaiba was still interested. He looked excited, so much that he neglected to use the pre-made trail and leapt straight down from one rocky edge to another.

“Be careful!” Atem cried, his stomach churning at the memory of human blood. Kaiba really was reckless. Was it because he was in love, ‘at the point of no return’ like the mermaids had said?

Kaiba kicked off his shoes and sprinted towards the water’s edge, tackling Atem gleefully into an oncoming wave, relishing in the warmth of the water while Atem threw his arms around his shoulders in a hearty response.

Now this was one benefit of the scales. The water was warm.

“Wh-What?!” Atem gasped, craning his neck away from Kaiba’s attacking flurry of kisses down his face as he heard this. “Explain yourself!”

“I thought you weren’t going to show your face for ‘ _the next three moons’_ ,” Kaiba said mockingly, leaning forward to kiss the merman, but a hand pressed against his forehead, pushing him away strongly.

“Tell me what that meant!” Atem cried, his arm weakening as Kaiba’s gaze seared intently through him, causing his heart to flutter wonderfully. “The benefit of scales…?”

“Oh, you’re still listening to my thoughts?” Kaiba growled irritably. “Your scales make it easier for me to stay in cold water.”

“How?!” Atem cried out again but found that he could no longer fight back with strength. A hot breath danced across his cheek, and their lips met in a fiery, passionate kiss.

Kaiba sighed happily, enjoying the way Atem’s tail felt between his legs. It was solid…warm, and thick, when it used to be cold and slimy.

Atem frowned into the kiss, hearing these thoughts and unable to speak, because a silky tongue had entered his mouth and was tantalizingly licking the roof of his mouth, sending shivers down his spine.  
Where did humans learn how to do this?  
Why did no other mer-person kiss this way?

Kaiba pulled away breathlessly, raking his gaze hungrily down Atem’s muscular chest, appreciating the change of jewelry. The chest plate was solid gold, no longer laden with multi-colored gems, and Atem wasn’t wearing his usual crown.

“Seto!”

Kaiba jerked his head up to see Mokuba running back at them, and he rolled off of Atem, hearing the merman hiss and grab at him playfully with a clawed hand.

“Come back here…” Atem smiled, pausing when he saw the child approaching with an armful of colorful items. “Ah, my ties!”

“ _My_ ties!” Kaiba cried, shaking head with disbelief as he watched Mokuba drop the bundle of ties messily at his feet.

“They’re mine now,” Atem said cattily, gathering them up in the sand and wondering how he could bring them back home without losing one. There were so many!

“What? What do you need them for?” Kaiba asked, amused and slightly flattered that Atem was collecting items that belonged to him. “You like them?”

“I do,” Atem said genially, grabbing his weapon and beginning to tie them onto it with ease. “And the mermaids love them too. They collect these.”

“Oh…weird.” Mokuba grinned, and knelt in the sand beside Atem’s staff, picking up a few ties and also beginning to tie them onto it. “This is gonna look like streamers flying off your trident!”

“A trident has three prongs, Mokuba. This is a spear.” Atem corrected him gently while Kaiba gaped at the weapon stuck in the sand, realizing he had been too preoccupied with kissing Atem to have noticed a sharp pole of steel right beside them.

“Oh, and I require a stick of lip.” Atem said happily, aiming this question at a wide-eyed older Kaiba. “And the request was…no more reds. Does that mean anything to you?”

“A stick of…what?” Kaiba blinked, not understanding at all.

“The mermaids said you would know!” Atem sighed, exasperated. “They said they wanted a stick of lip, and no more reds because they already have too many.”

There was an awkward silence.

Suddenly, Mokuba slapped a hand to his forehead and belted out a laugh, rolling around in the sand cackling. “I get it! You’re hilarious!”

Kaiba eyed his younger brother strangely. “What? Stop laughing and spit it out, kid.”

Atem threw Kaiba a concerned look, wondering why he spoke so rudely to his blood relation.

“He wants… _lipstick_!” Mokuba gasped for air and he doubled over onto his side again, shrieking with laughter.

Kaiba pressed his palms into his eyes and his shoulders also began to shake with laughter.

“What? What is it?” Atem frowned, wondering why both humans were now laughing…seemingly _at_ him. “You know what it is? Can you get it?”

“Yes, I’ll get it for you,” Kaiba said warmly, reaching out to give Atem’s toned arm a gentle squeeze while his body trembled with mirth. “No red. We understand.”

Mokuba was still gasping for air between laughs in the sand beside Kaiba’s elbow, and Kaiba stood quickly, picking his brother up around the waist and swinging him onto his shoulder.

“Ow! Ow lemme go!” Mokuba cried, hanging over Kaiba’s shoulder and still half-laughing while attempting to climb his way down. “I wanna hang out with you guys!”

“No. Back in the house,” Kaiba said sternly. “We’re going do something, and you can’t be here to see it.”

“You mean kiss?” Mokuba suggested evilly, doubling over with laughter again. “I’ve seen you guys do that a million times already.”

Atem watched this exchange with interest, and he turned his gaze back to his tie-adorned staff. It did look quite pretty…in an odd way. The mermaids in Confinement would be so happy with such a huge selection.

Footsteps approached him in the sand again, and Atem smiled up at Kaiba’s tall form standing above him.

“I thought about you,” Atem said warmly, his heart fluttering at the way the dimming sunlight highlighted Kaiba’s sharp cheekbones.

Kaiba smiled happily in return and sat himself down in the water beside the merman, enjoying the warm waves lapping at his ankles. It seemed the merman had a change of heart after their explosive departure a few days ago.

“Would you do anything for me?” Atem asked in a rush, placing his hand over Kaiba’s and holding on tightly, his heart tight with emotion.

“Yes.” Kaiba replied softly. After a moment of silence, and he raised his gaze to meet Atem’s dark, angular eyes. Beautiful. Striking. There would never be another creature on earth as beautiful as this merman beside him.

“I will do anything for you. I _can_ do _anything_ ,” Kaiba declared strongly.

“Anything?” Atem pressed, pointing at the glow of the white half-moon above their heads. “If I asked for a chunk of the moon, you’d bring it to me?”

“Yeah, how big?” Kaiba asked heatedly, already calculating how legal it would be to take a chunk out of the moon with a strategically placed missile. “Do you want a rock? A tiny rock? Or do you want to see a noticeable chunk missing every time you look up?”

Atem stared, unable to believe his ears.

“You can’t…! Don’t shoot anything up there and destroy the moon, please,” the merman said hurriedly, his cheeks burning. “I like the moon whole.”

Kaiba threw his head back and let out a bark of laughter. “Well, every time you look up and see that chunk missing, you’d know it was me. You’d think of me.”

“You’re…insane,” Atem managed, feeling as if a hand had reached into his chest and squeezed his heart painfully. “I’m not asking for that. Don’t do that.”

“Fine, then I won’t.” Kaiba shrugged happily and nuzzled his nose against the merman’s neck, inhaling deeply. The wonderful tang of something familiar mixed in with the dull scent of salt aroused him instantly.

Atem let his eyelids flutter shut as Kaiba’s breath on his beck warmed him pleasantly, and he dipped his head down to place a gentle kiss on Kaiba’s lips, enjoying the sweet lingering moment they shared before he pulled away first.

“I need to know how long I’ve been on shore,” Atem said nervously, eyeing the darkening sky above them. “They said…I could surface every day if I calculated my weight and the length of my journey. I just needed to keep track of time, and not dry out.”

“I know how much you weigh,” Kaiba said instantly, placing his hand on where he thought Atem’s thigh would be, and he ran his hand down the warm scaly surface. “As for the distance, I can give you a device to wear on your wrist that will measure—”

“I can’t bring any human items back that will attract attention.” Atem replied nervously, placing his hand atop Kaiba’s once more and squeezing tightly in return. “The ties on my staff look like a gift. But I can’t keep anything that will incriminate me.”

Kaiba hissed in annoyance and withdrew his hand. How irritating and old-fashioned of them. Then he just needed to make the device look like a gift.

“I can just count the minutes, leave markers at every depth, don’t worry, I’ve got it,” Atem said reassuringly, leaning his head down on Kaiba’s shoulder and watching the sky fully darken. “I’ll try to come up, every day, until I can’t anymore.”

Kaiba nodded mutely, touched that Atem had reconsidered the daily visiting.

“Then I will be here exactly at sunset,” Kaiba said, wrapping his arms around Atem’s slender, tanned upper body and bringing him into a tight embrace. “Every day, without fail, for the rest of my fucking life.”

Atem felt his stomach drop terribly and he patted Kaiba on the arm awkwardly. “T-There’s no need to do that. You’ll grow tired of me eventually, and…have children.”

Kaiba jerked back, and looked Atem full in the face, thoroughly offended by that statement. “You think I want that? Who do you think I am?”

 _I’m Seto fucking Kaiba, dammit_ , Kaiba growled angrily to himself, and to his extreme amusement, Atem echoed his thoughts aloud.

“You are…Seto Fucking Kaiba Dammit,” Atem said mildly with a wry smile and he leaned forward playfully to plant a soft kiss on Kaiba’s cheek. “Don’t you dare run off and have a child…other than Mokuba. You can keep him.”

“He’s my brother,” Kaiba said automatically. “I can’t stand kids. I can barely stand Mokuba.”

“That’s a lie,” Atem laughed, rolling over onto his stomach and gazing up at the CEO from the sand. “You love him very much.”

Disgruntled, Kaiba quickly straddled Atem in one smooth motion and sat triumphantly on top of him, his eyes gleaming with lust.

“Less talking, more fucking.”

“I’ve got to go,” Atem whispered balefully, curling his clawed fingers over the fabric of Kaiba’s pants, hating that they had wasted all their time talking instead of touching. “The sky is dark. They said I had to spend short amounts of time on shore if I wanted to come up every day. I’ll be back tomorrow.”

“You fucking swear?” Kaiba growled, tightening his thighs around Atem’s warm tail beneath him in the sand. “Tomorrow. Come earlier so we can fuck when it’s still light. I want to see your face when you cum.”

Atem smiled weakly, and his heart did an odd flutter at the human’s sudden vulgarity. “Yes, all of those things. Tomorrow, bring a stick of lip and we’ll—”

“Lipstick,” Kaiba cracked a smile and pulled Atem into another tight embrace, enjoying the wetness of his skin soaking in through his shirt before he pulled away reluctantly and got to his feet.

Atem freed his staff from the sand and used it to push himself off the shore and into deeper water, raising the tie-covered weapon in a formal salute and seeing Kaiba reciprocate with a solid middle finger and a boyish grin.

Laughing, Atem dove down beneath the waves, feeling extremely lighthearted and satisfied.

Kaiba watched the red glint of Atem’s tail disappear underneath the foamy waves, and he let out a forlorn sigh. What had changed? Whatever it was, he wasn’t complaining. Getting to see Atem every day was more than he could hope for, so he wasn’t going to push his luck.

Picking up his shoes from the sand, Kaiba trudged back to the property, shivering from the wind, but his heart was warm.

* * *

**Author’s note:**

Kaiba’s scale experiment = bad times in the shower.

Atem’s royal court hates humans but Atem is king so he can do whatever he wants kinda technically?

Yay for daily visits and bonding time with Mokuba on shore.

No smut this chap cuz our boys needed to have an actual talk lol but they got very close tho!

-edited by setokaibaes-

Pleasus leave a comment! ilu for reading!

xoxoxoxo  
Ugli


	14. I'll do it for me

Atem stabbed the tie-covered spear into the sandy floor of his bedroom and threw himself down onto his sponge bed, gazing up at the high ceiling while his heart soared wonderfully.

This was pure love, he was certain of it. Seto Kaiba was handsome, loyal, and very entertaining. The fact that he had legs was not a deterrent.

A knock sounded at his door and Mana called out to him, “May I come in?”

Atem sat up quickly and pushed off the bed to answer the door.

“My king…” Mana said hesitantly, looking unusually shy. “How was your travel to shore?”

“Excellent!” Atem beamed, leading her into his room by the arm and showing her the spear decorated with colorful patterned ties. “I brought this weapon to shore at Mahad’s insistence, and the child decorated it for me.”

“Seto Kaiba has a child?” Mana whispered shrilly. Every new piece of information Atem told her about these humans disturbed her more and more.

“Yes, a blood relation,” Atem assured her gently and pulled a blue and white striped tie off the spear for himself. “Aren’t they nice? They’re soft and thin like kelp, but longer and sturdier. Want to use one for your hair?”

“I-Is that what they’re for? Hair? So _these_ are Hair Ties?” Mana’s interest piqued as she ran her fingers through a pastel pink tie with thin white stripes. “I like this one.”

“Then take it, it’s yours.” Atem said warmly, freeing the tie from the staff and pressing it into her hands with a smile. “The rest are for the mermaids in Confinement.”

“About that…” Mana hiccupped nervously. “There were no men in Confinement?”

Atem shook his head slowly, “I didn’t see any men. Why?”

“Don’t you think it’s strange then?” Mana asked, twirling the tie through her fingers in distress. “You’re the only man in a situation that has doomed many mermaids?”

“Well…perhaps it’s different _because_ I’m a man,” Atem said, not believing his own words at all.

“Is it, though?” Mana cried, looking more distraught. “Mahad told me the mermaids in Confinement _mated_ with the men on land. What if Seto Kaiba…wants to mate with you?”

“He can try,” Atem scoffed, recalling how Kaiba had tried to enter his hole from the back and failed miserably. “I’m armed, and…so what if he does want to mate with me?”

“W-Well…that’s…disturbing,” Mana whispered, looking fearfully at the ground. “Please stay safe, Atem. I’m very worried about you. We all are.”

Atem grew cold all over and nodded stiffly.  
If he couldn’t trust Mana with the truth, then who could he trust?  
Why did everyone around him think that Seto Kaiba was a disgusting human being?

“Thank you for your concern, Mana, now let me rest,” Atem said flatly, escorting Mana to the door, and he caught another tearful look from her before she waved and swam off sadly.

Letting out a tight sigh, Atem closed the door heavily and leaned against it, feeling terribly trapped in his own kingdom.  
There was no one who approved.  
No one trusted Kaiba. How could he change that?

Perhaps it was time to make another visit to Confinement after a long sleep.

* * *

Kaiba stood opposite from his three chemists, watching them spread out several samples of lipsticks for him on the metal lab table.

“The skin-liquid takes the molds quite nicely when heated,” the first chemist said, tapping the pad in her hand. “I don’t know what you’re calling it, Mr. Kaiba. Perhaps patent a name for it so we can stop calling it ‘the skin-liquid’.”

“And it’s cold to the touch, and cold when applied,” the second chemist said, pushing her lab goggles up over her bangs and squinting down at a dark blue tube of lipstick. “We can market this as a summer product. Cooling effect.”

“No one wears a dark color for summer,” the third chemist interjected, pointing at a bright yellow shade. “Maybe something like this. Would you wear this?”

“That? No,” the second chemist scoffed, rolling her eyes. “That was to test how well the liquid would hold pigment. It holds. Obviously.”

“Well, that’s good to know.” Kaiba smiled excitedly at the thought of Atem’s face lighting when he gifted the mer-king with an enormous set of lipsticks. “Make it in every color of the rainbow. Go easy on the red shades, and…they need to be extremely waterproof.”

“Define extremely waterproof,” the first chemist said, looking very excited.

“Make it so waterproof that it fuses to your mouth like a second layer of skin,” Kaiba grinned, seeing the women wince at his choice of words.

“I don’t want that,” the second chemist spoke up again, smiling gently at the CEO. “It needs to come off...eventually.”

“Yeah, and you’ll need a whole other product to make it come off. That’s how you make money,” Kaiba snorted, and the women laughed pleasantly.

“Maybe you’re thinking of a peel-off lipstick?” the third chemist asked tentatively. “That was a trend, wasn’t it? This will be a competitive lipstick if you make it waterproof, Mr. Kaiba.”

“No, don’t make it peel or do anything weird,” Kaiba said, remembering that the scales already flaked like skin when they were dry. “Stick with a conventional formula. Waterproof. And make plenty of colors for darker skin.”

He began to walk away, but was stopped by the first chemist, “W-Wait, Mr. Kaiba! We’re not making this for Japanese people?”

“You _are_ , but we have so much, so let’s just make a huge range,” Kaiba said impatiently, unwilling to tell the truth. “Be inclusive, dammit.” And he walked quickly to the exit, wishing the entire process was less complicated.

 _These damn lipsticks better make Atem’s mermaids happy_ , Kaiba growled to himself, and he caught a glimpse of the chemists with their heads bowed together over the table before the doors closed with a soft whoosh.

“He _must_ be gay,” the second chemist declared loudly, and was shushed by her co-worker.

“You won’t know,” the first chemist said blithely, slipping her gloves back on with a snap. “He’ll probably wear them in private, in his own home while prancing in front of a mirror.”

“We’re being recorded 24/7 in this lab, audio and visual, you’re both aware, right?” the third chemist breathed, attempting to keep her composure from slipping.

“Serums and lipsticks…serums and lipsticks, that’s all we’re talking about!” the second chemist sang cheerily, and her lab mates smiled, all three of them trying to stem their laugher.

* * *

Atem heaved the sack of litter over his shoulder, thinking it was very light, lighter than usual, so he said a small prayer, thanking Seto Kaiba for his help. 

The metal ships had decreased the trash load quite a bit, and everyone was glad that they were required to take less trips to shore.

Swimming up through the hemisphere, one of the border guards stopped him in his path, handing him his staff with a solemn expression. “My king, please take this.”

Atem snatched the weapon out of the guard’s hands and nodded angrily before continuing on his way up.  
This had to be Mahad’s doing.  
Everyone was so paranoid for no reason.

Trying to feel less irritated about it, Atem filled his mind with warm, happy thoughts of Seto Kaiba, and kept his gaze pointed upwards. The sun was still up, so perhaps he could enjoy some light before it set.

* * *

Kaiba gently set all his camera equipment down on the table by the window and gazed out towards the open ocean, seeing no one on the beach.

He picked up a tiny camera and flipped his laptop on beside him, testing the visual quickly.

This would solve most of his problems. If the shore was monitored, he would instantly know if anything were to happen. He would also be alerted of any walking mermen and would be able to see when Atem appeared.

The camera feeds would go directly to his phone and personal computer, so no one else would accidentally find out.

Kaiba stabbed the camera’s cord into his computer and sighed, looking up to stare at the ocean again. He saw a tiny splash in the distance and his heart raced excitedly.

He stopped everything he was doing and dashed out of the house, almost slipping on the sand covering the wooden ramp leading down to the beach.

The spiky-haired figure in the water waved energetically, and Kaiba’s heart soared.

This was a great way to spend his time after work.

Reaching the water’s edge, Kaiba ran into the water and froze, his feet growing numb from the sudden cold.

He stood very still, shivering violently as another wave crashed against his thighs.  
It seemed the effect from the scales was temporary.  
  
_But I took a cold shower today, and the water was still felt warm,_ Kaiba raged, jumping up and down in the water and running back to the sand, his toes stinging terribly.

“Human!” Atem grinned, tossing the sack of garbage onto shore and rolling onto the beach with ease, riding atop a low foamy wave. “What’s the matter? Cold?”

“F-Freezing.” Kaiba grit his teeth to keep them from chattering as he contemplated running back into the house to drink another vial of the scales. “I’ll be right back.”

“Wait…take this with you!” Atem cried, pointing his weapon at the sack of garbage. “These came from your people. Discard it properly.”

“I’m not responsible for every single person who litters,” Kaiba growled, but he obliged and snatched the seaweed-woven sack up, hoisting it over his shoulder and hating how the icy water trailed down his entire front, soaking him completely.

“Thank you!” Atem smiled warmly and waved at Kaiba’s back, and he eased onto his side in the warm sand, stretching lazily. This was quite nice! Having Kaiba throw out the garbage for him was a pleasant addition.

Kaiba circled his property, shivering violently and hating Atem briefly for making him the garbage mule. Clearly, his ships couldn’t collect all the garbage from the deeper parts of the ocean where Atem actually lived, because they weren’t equipped to go that deep.

Just how far away was this underwater kingdom?

Deciding not to think about it further, Kaiba swung the sack of plastic into the garbage bin and strode hastily back into the house, his mind on one thing: the extra vials of liquified scales in his briefcase.

 _Maybe I’ll drink one with my morning coffee every day_ , thought Kaiba as he reached his large work-desk sitting against the window, and numb fingers closed over a fresh vial.

He uncapped it and tossed it back with ease, grimacing as the now-familiar cold consumed his body, coupled with a strong wave of nausea.

Too cold, too sudden.

Kaiba retched silently as he bent over his desk, his vision turning green for a moment before the color returned. This felt horrible, somehow worse than the first time he drank it. Why?

Was it because there was a two-day gap? Or was it because he had drank two vials at once after almost being boiled alive, and then skipped a day?

Gasping for breath, Kaiba straightened up slowly, composing himself.  
If he was going to be drinking these vials regularly, he would have to keep a record, for scientific and personal purposes.

Atem narrowed his eyes, seeing Kaiba bend over suddenly in the window, and disappear for a moment, before shakily standing again.  
That was a strange movement.  
Was the human…sick?

He watched Kaiba hurry down the wooden slant and approach him with a weak smile, looking paler than usual. Yes, the human was sick.

“You need to rest,” Atem declared as Kaiba sat down stubbornly in the sand beside him, and a medium wave came rushing up towards them, drenching Kaiba’s clothed legs and swallowing him up to the waist.

“I’m fine,” Kaiba answered mildly, breathing a tight sigh of relief as he relaxed quickly. The wave of water was pleasantly hot, burning hot. It had been a while since he had water this hot.

Atem watched this reaction curiously and obtrusively prodded Kaiba’s mind, but was met with silence and a strange sense of relief.

“What is it? Did something happen?” Atem pressed, wanting to know why Kaiba was acting so extreme. “You don’t have to pretend for me. Speak.”

And he reached out to grab Kaiba’s hand, shocked to find it cold to the touch.

Kaiba mustered another smile and leaned closer to Atem, gazing out over the water, contemplating his answer. The truth; he would tell the truth this time.

“Yes, the truth would be nice,” Atem growled. “Have you been lying about something?”

“No,” Kaiba answered amicably, rolling up his pant legs and enjoying another hot wave of water brushing over his shins. “We make love in the water all the time, so I might have found a way to make the cold water easier to bear.”

“How…?” Atem asked slowly, his concern rising as he recalled Mai’s comments about how humans would do anything, even hurt themselves, for love. “You’re not hurting yourself, are you?”

“Ha!” Kaiba let out a bark of derisive laughter. Where to even begin? Being boiled alive in the shower was a good place to start.

“Please explain…” Atem said shakily, reaching for his weapon and wondering if he ought to threaten the answers out of Kaiba, because the CEO was being particularly withholding today.

Boiled alive? Was Kaiba being tortured? And why?

“Can hot water hurt you?” Kaiba asked suddenly, his blue eyes bright in the setting orange sun. “How do you Fish People live in warmer climates then?”

“Us _fish people_ …are all different,” Atem raged, bristling at Kaiba’s word choice. “For example, there is a colony several leagues away, and they live in shallower waters, significantly warmer than the climate in my—”

Atem forced himself to stop talking. He was revealing too much, and there was a wide-eyed look of maddening glee sitting on Kaiba’s face.

“Go on, I’ve got no one to tell,” Kaiba said, unable to keep the smile off his face. “You swore me into silence. Are they your friends?”

“No, that colony is _not_ friendly,” Atem scoffed, recalling the almost-war his father had managed to put a stop to when he was still a young hatchling. “They’re violent, lawless, and they enjoy interfering with humans. Everyone avoids them.”

“Right, because your colony is _so political_ , right?” Kaiba taunted, and he received a dark look in response that answered his question.

“I had to...fight for my own right to come up here and see you,” Atem said quietly, his cheeks burning with frustration. “And every time I leave, someone shoves a weapon in my face, insisting that I travel armed. I believe it sends the wrong message if I were to run into someone from another colony.”

“Cool, I don’t care,” Kaiba said brusquely, understanding that his joke was made in bad taste, and the mood was quickly souring because of it. “Sounds stupid. You can leave the spear here if you don’t want to travel back with it. Next topic.”

Atem nodded stiffly and turned his gaze out over the water again, feeling slightly better about everything. Even though Kaiba’s words were rough, he had felt the rush of sympathy and disgust, and that had been enough, because it mirrored his own feelings.

They sat together in comfortable silence while the waves lapped happily at their bodies, and Kaiba was beginning to feel sleepy. The hot ocean water around his waist along with the cool air blowing through his hair, was nice.

Atem’s warmth beside him was comforting too.

He leaned his head down on the merman’s bare shoulder and closed his eyes, exhaustion settling thickly over him.

Suddenly, a warm breath grazed past his nose and their lips connected.

Atem was kissing him, softly, slowly, and sweetly, taking his time and raking his claws through the back of his hair. Relaxing wonderfully into the kiss, Kaiba tried to pry his eyes open to see the blond bangs inches from his face, but his eyelids were heavy.  
He didn’t want to open his eyes because it would mean…their kiss would end, and the world would continue spinning again.

Kaiba wrapped his arms around Atem’s body to pull him closer, sinking deeper into each of Atem’s gentle breaths, melting gradually with every sensual flick of his tongue across his lower lip.

His mind hummed with pleasure and shut off completely. Nothing existed, other than the hot wave around his waist, Atem’s warm hand on his cheek, and his soft lips on his own.

Pulling away gently, Atem gazed happily at Kaiba’s expression, pleased to see that his eyes were still comically closed.

“Did you like that?” Atem asked knowingly, pressing his nose into the crook of Kaiba’s pale neck and baring his fangs playfully, scraping them over Kaiba’s collar bone through his dress shirt. “That’s how we do it.”

“That’s…a boring way to do it,” Kaiba replied breathlessly, finally opening his eyes and seeing Atem trailing his hands down the front of his shirt, counting each of his buttons with an odd, determination.

 _Yes, very interesting,_ Atem mused, tapping his nail against a hard, mother-of-pearl button. _Humans wear shells in this way._

Kaiba buried his nose into Atem’s spiky hair and breathed deeply, smiling to himself, feeling as if he had won an unwinnable prize. His energy came rushing back and he climbed nimbly on top of Atem, straddling his tail with familiar ease and grinning handsomely down at the king.

“Now…we do it my way.”

“We’re always doing it your way,” Atem argued teasingly, giving Kaiba’s arms a tight squeeze with both of his hands. “My turn.”

“…No,” Kaiba said stubbornly, digging his knees into the sand at either side of Atem’s tail. “I like it…the way we usually do it.”

“You walk away from it bleeding. I refuse,” Atem shot back, rocking forward powerfully and managing to push Kaiba off him. “Try it once, my way.”

Kaiba opened his mouth to protest but his voice died in his throat when Atem began undressing him with surprising ease.

“I’ve seen you do this several times before,” Atem said quietly, tossing the shirt aside triumphantly with a grin. “I’ve learned by watching.”

“Congrats,” Kaiba growled, his boner straining happily through the front of his pants as Atem gave his front a firm rub, flashing him another pretty grin before he worked the button and zipper, sliding his hand into his pants and freeing his erection.

“Take these off,” Atem coaxed, grabbing at the belt, and Kaiba hastily obliged, inching his pants off his hips. The mer-king slid slowly down in the sand on his stomach and pressed his cheek against Kaiba’s slender thigh, smiling mischievously.

Kaiba’s breath hitched in his throat as he let Atem peel his pants off and toss them aside seemingly without a care in the world, and stare intently at his boner.

“…And it is magically big again,” Atem said excitedly, oblivious to Kaiba’s embarrassment. He dove his head down without hesitation and gave the stiffness a solid lick, tasting an odd tang at the tip of his tongue. Was this what the human tasted like?

Intrigued, Atem nuzzled his nose deeper, enjoying the padded softness waiting underneath his lips, and he licked that too. Baring his fangs happily, he grazed them lightly along Kaiba’s inner thigh.

He heard a hiss, and Kaiba’s leg jerked to the side, followed by a stream of rapid-fire thoughts.

_What the fuck, what the fuck, he looks like he’s about to bite my balls off!_

“Calm...down,” Atem bit back a laugh and gazed down at Kaiba’s exposed erection with an air of amusement. “I know these are your eggs. I’ll be gentle.”

Kaiba’s head spun violently with a mixture of mirth and nausea.  
Eggs. His _only two_ eggs. Yeah. They were those.

“This is what makes you fertile, isn’t it?” Atem glared, growing more disgruntled at Kaiba’s thoughts. “Human women carry them on their chests, and they look attractive, whereas men—”

“ _Please_ shut up,” Kaiba said through numb lips, unable to show an emotion that accurately displayed how he felt. His boner was going to die if Atem said one more disconcerting thing about his balls being eggs.

 _Very well_ , Atem thought irritably, and dipped his head back down, continuing to do whatever he pleased. He dragged his lips up along Kaiba’s inner thigh, eliciting a hostile shiver, but he continued, intent on showing Kaiba how lovemaking was done.

Suddenly, Kaiba’s leg looped over his neck, almost causing his chin to smash into the sand beneath his face.

“Suck my dick,” Kaiba demanded, his boner throbbing with impatience, and he caught a heated glare from Atem before the merman obliged.

Atem inched forward and enveloped Kaiba’s length inside his mouth, hearing a satisfied sigh, which encouraged him to continue, and he trailed his lips up over Kaiba’s neat patch of pubic hair, slowly making his way up Kaiba’s muscled abdomen, pausing to give his nipple a playful bite.

Kaiba shut his eyes and opened them again, his chest heaving with shallow breaths, his body trembling hot with anticipation, hating how Atem was clearly taking his time. A hot tongue swirled lovingly around his nipple, sending a slow heated wave of pleasure running up and down his entire body.  
Atem’s hands flattened against his skin and Kaiba shivered reluctantly as the tips of Atem’s claws tickled the lower his hands traveled.

He was feeling as if he was about to burst, and Atem leaned forward to gently kiss him again, another long, lingering kiss before he pulled away to nibble gently at his ears and down his neck, turning the raw bubble of arousal at the base of his stomach into a warm pool of never-ending heat, with no orgasm in sight.  
It was just endless, low waves of excitement, with teasing hands and teeth, followed by a strong wave of arousal from Atem’s body grinding against his, almost sending him over the edge before coming back down again to the soft, lingering kisses.

“I hate this.” Kaiba said flatly as he pulled away slowly, and his heart nearly stopped in his chest when Atem’s hand came for his throat and pushed him down flat on his back in the sand.

A spiky-head emerged in his vision, and Kaiba’s head spun as he gazed up into Atem’s deep, violet eyes.

“You are mine, so you will do as I say,” Atem hissed, knowing he was losing his patience, but a part of him no longer cared. “You’ve had your way, and now I’ll have mine. Be still or I’ll bite.”

“Bite me then,” Kaiba challenged, and he thunked his head down on the sand with resignation. Atem wanted to be gentle and treat him like a girl, then fine.  
What the fuck ever.

Atem continued keenly, grazing his lips smoothly down Kaiba’s pale thigh again, enjoying the sweet scent of his skin, and his warm mood was shattered with more of Kaiba’s cynical thoughts.

_He wants to treat me like a girl, then maybe I should just grow some boobs._

Atem’s anger flared quickly. He bared his fangs spitefully, and before he could change his mind, he buried them deep into Kaiba’s inner thigh, hearing Kaiba let out a pained yell beneath him and jerk his leg violently in his grasp, but Atem hung on tightly.

The blood rushed into his mouth, coating his tongue thickly, and Atem blinked rapidly, the cloying sweetness taking him completely by surprise.

He took a tentative swallow and felt positively electrified. His entire body tingled, and his vision became impossibly bright.  
Mildy frightened, Atem pulled away and wiped his chin, his heart pounding too loudly in his own ears while his own arousal suddenly curled painfully outwards, slick and wet with excitement.

Gasping in surprise, Atem glanced down at himself nervously.

This effect he was experiencing…was probably why feeding on human blood was forbidden. His was hot and cold at the same time, and he was so…incredibly aroused.

“F-Fuck…” Kaiba said weakly, propping himself up on his elbows, his vision blurring mightily while his leg slowly grew numb. “You actually fucking bit me…Atem?”

Kaiba blinked, seeing the merman’s expression darken in an instant, and morph into a dark, lustful smile.

“You taste…good!” Atem whispered, throwing himself forward and burying his face into Kaiba’s hard abdomen, taking deep, shuddering gasps, trying to keep himself composed, but to no avail. Kaiba’s legs twitching at his elbows filled him with an indescribable hunger, and he grabbed them roughly, curling himself against Kaiba’s arousal and sliding the head of his tentacle lewdly against Kaiba’s hole, feeling the muscle clench and unclench deliciously at his tip.

“Wait…hang on…” Kaiba held out a shaking hand, completely thrown off by the sudden change in demeanor, but had no time to prepare, because Atem gave him one last devilish grin before thrusting himself inside into his hole with steady determination, his angular eyes half-lidded, wearing an eerie, almost cat-like expression.

Kaiba threw his head back and opened his mouth in a silent gasp, finding himself filled again and again without pause. Atem seemed to extend fiercely inside of him, sometimes to the hilt, and other times, it was just the wet, curling tip, teasingly licking his entrance while his legs trembled and Kaiba yearned for more, almost drowning in the violent flood of pleasure and pain, dimly aware that his leg was still bleeding.

Atem’s face was blurring above him, and the merman leaned down to bite him again after giving him a particularly passionate thrust that sent his back chafing in the sand underneath them, and Kaiba let out a pleasurable, choked yell, locking his ankles around Atem’s back and arching up higher…higher, his mind blissful and blank while his body felt as if it was floating on air.

Atem shut his eyes and enjoyed another strong rush of thick sweetness trickling down his throat as Kaiba pulled him into a crushing embrace and began bucking his hips upwards onto his writhing member, sending him into another blood-drunk frenzy as wave after wave of searing, wonderful heat consumed his mind and body.

Numb with ecstasy, Kaiba relaxed fully underneath Atem and found himself pushed onto his side.

Unwilling to move, Kaiba let Atem do as he pleased, and was lost in another blanket of passion and warmth.  
A clawed hand came snaking around his front to grab his erection and Kaiba curled his knees to his chest, gasping for breath as Atem began pounding into him relentlessly from behind. The merman’s light breaths tickled his ear, and through his haze of joy, Kaiba heard him whisper, “How deep…can I go?”

“I don’t care!” Kaiba managed, slapping a hand down in the sand and digging his fingers into the soft wetness, feeling a headache building as Atem’s heat curled deeper and higher into him, stretching him almost painfully before he withdrew and began thrusting viciously with passion again. Kaiba could barely keep his eyes open as his body convulsed and shuddered with a rough orgasm, followed by another…and another, each different from the last.  
Amazing. This was pure pleasure.

Atem pulled out of Kaiba’s hole with great effort but found that he couldn’t stay away for long. Something magnetic was pulling him back in, making it impossible for him to stop, and it was terrifying.

Kaiba beneath him, already looked like he had had enough. His knees were curled to his chest, his arms limp, his expression soft and blissful, but his body was still being rocked by his passionate thrusts.

“I can’t—I can’t stop!” Atem dug his palms down on either side of Kaiba’s body and shuddered as a tight rush of an orgasm bubbled high near his chest and disappeared again.

“Don’t…don’t stop…” came the weak reply, and Atem grit his teeth, shaking his head frantically when he saw his own semen gathering at the rim of Kaiba’s hole, but he was still unable to stop. It was like his body was behaving without him.

“Push me away…do it, please,” Atem said hoarsely, his head spinning.  
He could barely think straight.  
He just wanted to keep shoving himself into Kaiba endlessly, and cum ten more times.

Kaiba barely nodded and pried his eyes open, feeling his hole begin to chafe and burn, but Atem’s dick was still prodding playfully at his asshole, acting as if it had a mind of its own.

Gathering all of his strength, Kaiba gave Atem a shove and tried to twist away but found himself face-down in the sand. A strong hand was glued to the back of his head, forcing his chin into the sand while the heated tentacle lapped eagerly at his balls, roaming dangerously low between his thighs, spreading the sticky wetness playfully between his ass cheeks.

“Hey…what the fuck…” Kaiba hissed, trying to push himself up, but his elbows were weak. There was also a small puddle of blood beside his ear. Oh shit…  
What was happening?

Atem’s heat was once again sliding up and down his already wet hole, sending another jolt of electricity up his spine, and Kaiba winced in pain when he was entered again without warning.

“Please stop…I can’t…stop!” Atem cried, hanging desperately onto Kaiba’s hips and pressing his forehead down onto Kaiba’s lower back, his mind oddly cloudy. He had already cum a few times inside of Kaiba’s hole, but it seemed his body didn’t think that was enough.

Kaiba opened his mouth to let out another pained yell, tasting sand on his tongue as Atem thrust thickly into him again and gave his insides a swirl that seemed to bend him in half.

“F-Fuck…fuck!” Kaiba eyes began to water and he kicked his legs out in an attempt to get away, but the tops of his feet slid against Atem’s smooth tail, unable to find grip, and that seemed to incite a fresh bout of passion from the tentacle.

Atem shut his eyes and shivered, praying for control. His stomach tightened with another heave, and his vision went white momentarily, his ears ringing with a sharp tinny noise.

Kaiba felt Atem freeze behind him, and he kicked out one last time, crawling away with a weak groan and pressing his cheek down in the warm sand as he briefly passed out.

Atem came to his senses and fell forward heavily onto his palms, heaving and shivering.

He glanced up at the motionless figure lying in the sand before him, and he reached out to give Kaiba’s ankle a weak shake.

“I’m sorry…” Atem gasped, falling to his side and letting a shallow wave wash over him up to his elbow, and he heard Kaiba curse silently again in his mind.

 _I’m dead._  
He killed me.  
Death by sexual intercourse with a mythical creature.  
A billionaire’s body is found naked and half-decomposing on his private beach. Preliminary autopsy showed he orgasmed so hard, his brain exploded—

“I take it you’re fine,” Atem growled, sitting up weakly and trying to shake off the panic. “I shouldn’t have bit you. I’m sorry. I really couldn’t stop.”

Kaiba sat up dizzily, throwing Atem an unsteady smile before he laid back down in the sand with a satisfied sigh. “So, that’s how you fish people do it.”

“That is _not_ how mer-people mate,” Atem retaliated with a defensive look, feeling terribly guilty. “It was supposed to be gentle from start to finish. Something in your blood made me lose myself. Are you hurt?”

“No…” Kaiba rolled his eyes, feeling a warm trickle of blood run down his knee and a spot above his shoulder stung oddly. “How many times did you bite me?”

“Twice…I think,” Atem said hastily, reaching out to run his hand along Kaiba’s calf, his heart freezing in his chest when he spotted two pinpricks of fang marks on Kaiba’s hip, and one on his arm.  
They looked like shallow bites because they were no longer bleeding.

“Or…it might have been four times. I don’t remember,” Atem hugged himself shakily, unable to look at Kaiba’s wounds anymore. “I didn’t mean to at all.”

“I’ll heal,” Kaiba answered dully, patting the sand beside him and not moving to sit up. “That was…scary, and amazing.”

Atem used his elbows to push himself further up along the sand and he placed his head down onto Kaiba’s bare chest, watching the steady rise and fall, his own heart beating equally as fast.

“It was just…scary,” Atem said, shutting his eyes and curling himself up over Kaiba’s long legs. “I’ll never bite you again.”

Kaiba laughed dryly, and stopped mid-laugh, realizing his chest hurt. He fell quiet and planted a kiss on Atem’s wet forehead. The spiky blond bangs tickled his nose and he gave them an awkward pat.  
The rough sex was great.  
He enjoyed being wrung out and put through his paces.

Atem heard Kaiba’s thoughts and began to calm down, but he still felt terrible. He counted the stars above his head and blinked slowly. It was completely dark.

“I need to go!” Atem cried, springing up and sounding panicked. “I left yesterday when the sun wasn’t set all the way. It’s dark now!”

“Oh, okay, go then,” Kaiba said sleepily, sitting up slowly and reaching out to brush the backs of his knuckles lovingly against Atem’s cheek. “See you tomorrow.”

“Yes, tomorrow indeed,” Atem said hastily, letting Kaiba kiss him on the back of his ear. He gave Kaiba a small apologetic smile and was met with a warm, sleepy one.

Kaiba felt the merman reach out to grab his hand, give it a squeeze, causing his heart to swell and his cheeks to burn.

Atem eyed on oncoming wave and pushed off the shore, riding it out into deeper waters, hearing Kaiba’s thought’s behind him.

_That’s a cool way to do it._

Sticking his hand out of the water to wave, Atem dove down quickly and disappeared beneath the surface.

Kaiba stared at the familiar ends of Atem’s red tail splashing upwards before vanishing, and he smiled to himself.

He then glanced around the beach for his clothes, realizing they were scattered everywhere.

Slowly rising to his feet, Kaiba wobbled with every step he took, but his mind was wonderfully clear again.

Merman sex was probably also another miracle cure of sorts.  
He always felt like a new man afterwards.

As he walked off towards his property, he thought he heard another splash behind him, and he whirled around to check, thinking Atem had returned, but there was nothing and no one in the water behind him.

It was just his imagination.

But underneath the water, behind the drop-off rock, a palace guard sat very still.  
  
His claws had sunk into the rock, leaving a five-fingered crack along the side as he slowly digested what he had just witnessed.

After having been ordered to ‘follow and protect the young king’, he had, but did not expect to see such blatant show of blasphemy.

Shaking with a mixture of fear and uncertainty, the palace guard pushed off the rock, wondering what he should say in his report…if he should say anything at all.

* * *

**Author’s note:**

Uh oh a palace guard spotted atem doing the nasty-nasty with a human.

Things that make the world go ‘round: Hair ties, lipstick production, all-healing serums, and rough fantasy sex :D

 please leave your thoughts in the comments, I always read every one and try to respond!

love,  
  
Ugli

[(you can find me on tumblr :D)](https://uglifish.tumblr.com/links)


	15. I'll do it for you

Atem swam through the palace gates and was surprised to see Mahad waiting for him with a stern expression.

“Where is your staff?” Mahad asked, frowning and scanning Atem’s body up and down, checking for any signs of injury.

“I gave it away,” Atem said truthfully. “I—”

“You cannot travel unarmed, how many times must we insist!” Mahad reached forward to pull Atem into a tight embrace, almost crushing the air out of his lungs. “I even sent a palace guard after you, just in case.”

Atem blinked, his heart stopping in his chest.  
A palace guard? He had no idea he had been followed!

“W-Who did you send?” Atem asked in a choked voice, and Mahad turned away, answering casually. “One of our Stealthsman. Only the best for you, my king.”

Atem swallowed thinly, his terror rising by the second as he tried to keep his panicked thoughts in check.

“Th-Thank you…” Atem whispered, but Mahad didn’t hear him because the merman had already swum off down the long hallway, in search of the guard, eager to hear a report of how Atem’s shore-meeting with Seto Kaiba had gone.

Feeling terrible, Atem dashed into his room, trying to stay composed. It was fine. Perhaps the Stealthsman would take a bribe?

Sliding a curtain of kelp aside, Atem rummaged through his personal treasury. Bribing a warrior was also considered treason, but he had already committed the highest sin, by feasting on a human’s blood while mating.

Only death in Confinement awaited him if anyone were to find out.

* * *

Kaiba rolled out of bed, feeling pleasantly sore all over.

He slowly stepped into the bathroom to and switch on the shower, making sure the water was at its coldest setting. Suppressing a yawn, Kaiba stuck his foot in to check the temperature.

Lukewarm. Great.

Sighing irritably, he stood under the water and slowly began to wake up. He glanced down at his body and noticed water was rolling off his skin extremely quick.

Nervous and intrigued, Kaiba grabbed the shampoo and squeezed the entire bottle over his arm, watching the liquid almost bounce and slide off his skin with eerie fluidity.

 _Oh…fuck, I’m a fish. I am a goddamn fish_ , Kaiba tried not to panic, and he set the bottle of shampoo down with a thunk, his knees growing weak.

As long as he didn’t start growing scales, everything should be fine.

Quickly washing up, Kaiba shut the water off and stepped out. He grabbed a towel and inspected himself in the full-length mirror, noticing that the bite marks from Atem’s rough lovemaking yesterday had faded completely, and he looked slightly…more muscular.

Wondering if he was seeing things, Kaiba dried his hair and strode to the other mirror in his room, and he patted his chest and stomach.  
He had lost weight.  
Yes, it was unmistakable. The muscles along his arms, chest, and stomach were slightly more defined.

Kaiba threw the towel off his body and turned to inspect himself from the side, flexing his thighs and seeing a ripple of muscle curving nicely down from his buttocks.

 _Sex with the merman is a workout,_ Kaiba mused, extremely pleased with himself.

He spotted the fresh cup of coffee Isono had left for him on his desk, and he walked over to take a sip. After a moment, he lifted his briefcase up from the floor, extracting one of the vials, and carefully poured it into his coffee.

Staring at the steaming liquid, Kaiba held it up to his nose to give it a tentative whiff.

It still smelled like coffee.

He took a sip, and then downed the rest in a few gulps, waiting for his body to grow cold, but nothing happened. He stood very still and held his breath.

Nothing.

Frowning, Kaiba hastily walked to his closet, threw on some clothes, and sat down at his desk, prying open his laptop. Time to start a personal log.

He began typing, making sure to include as many details as he could remember,  
making sure to note the nausea he experienced yesterday.

Kaiba shut the laptop and rose slowly to his feet, stretching.

He felt great, and hopefully, it was going to stay this way.

* * *

Atem snuck through the hallway and made sure the coast was clear before he zoomed through the water as fast as he could, managing to fit through one of the gaps in the stone pillars leading outside.

Tucking the tie-adorned spear at his side, Atem threw a nervous look over his shoulder, making sure no one saw him.

All was quiet. No one seemed to be following either.

Satisfied, Atem set off towards Confinement, trying his best not to feel like a criminal. He just didn’t want to be seen exiting the palace gates.

He still felt extremely guilty, biting and feeding off Kaiba’s blood during their last lovemaking session, and he was in desperate need for some unbiased advice.

Kaiba’s limp body underneath him kept flashing through his mind as he swam on, and he ignored the soreness in his tail from the long journey. Even though Kaiba had said it was fine, he didn’t behave like it was fine, and the thought unsettled him.

Finally reaching the dark fissure, Atem braced himself and dove down straight into it, making sure to keep his eyes closed this time, and predictably, he felt debris rushing through his hair.

Floating to a slow stop, Atem opened his eyes, and the warm glow of the bioluminescent fish was an oddly welcome sight.

Continuing to swim through the jagged steps, Atem counted his heartbeats with every swish of his tail, pushing through the water, waiting…waiting, until he heard a familiar voice call out to him.

“Halt! State your name and business!”

“It’s me, Mai,” Atem said shakily, daring himself to feel relieved. “I’ve brought the Hair T—”

“Ateeeeeem!” The blonde mermaid barreled towards him at breakneck speed and threw her arms around his neck in a happy embrace, and Atem felt his cheeks grow warm with gratitude.

“Ooo, you’ve got so much to tell us,” she smiled happily and grabbed him by the arm, pulling him through the dark waters with ease.

Several curious heads poked out through seaweed woven curtains before quickly disappearing, and Atem could hear many whispers echoing around them.

 _“It is the young king.”_  
  
“Visiting again? How annoying.”  
  


He was led into a familiar crevice, and another friendly face smiled at him, “My king!”

“Anzu.” Atem bobbed his head politely and her arms reached out to him, quickly helping him into their cave as Mai drew the kelp curtains shut behind them with a muffled swish.

“Oh my goddess, you brought so many!” Anzu gushed, running her fingers through the ties, tugging longingly at a blue one with a white dotted pattern. “I love this!”

“You over-delivered, your majesty,” Mai said, grinning and beginning to help Anzu untie the ties from Atem’s weapon. “I thought you’d only bring one.”

“These were given to me in a large bunch,” Atem said shyly, remembering Mokuba’s happy expression as he scattered them in the sand. “A child picked them out…although he did steal them from his older brother.”

“Perfect,” Mai said devilishly. “These ties only have meaning if you steal them. If they weren’t stolen, they’re useless.”

“You’re the worst, Mai.” Anzu said playfully, waving another striped tie with enthusiasm. “I think I have one that matches this color!”

Atem opened his mouth to speak, feeling as if he was about to burst from keeping so many secrets, but he lost his voice when Mai reached forward to grab both his hands and inspected them with vicious determination.

“No ring,” she declared, and Anzu rolled her eyes.

“The ring is pointless.”

“So?” Mai pressed, throwing herself down on the couch and waving her tail lazily, holding the ties up with an air of happiness. “Did you guys kiss? Hold hands? Did he take you somewhere? Did he carry you into a bed? Human beds are so strange.”

“And do you have the lipstick?” Anzu asked expectantly and looked crestfallen when she realized Atem was empty handed. “Ah…its okay. I didn’t think he’d give you a lipstick anyway. You’re a man after all…”

“We made love,” Atem blurted, unable to stay silent about it anymore, and he received simultaneous gasps of interest and excitement.

“Was it amazing? Of course it was,” Mai declared, tossing her hair over her shoulder and bringing to braid it. “But I gotta know…who entered—”

“And I bit him,” Atem sank slowly to the floor and clasped his hands together, losing composure steadily the more he talked. “I…tasted his blood, but I didn’t mean to! It started as a joke. He was teasing, and said, ‘bite me’, so I _did_ , and—"

“You didn’t!” Anzu cried, covering her mouth in shock. “What was it like? I’ve heard scary, terrible things about mer-mating and blood consumption. Human blood causes a rabid frenzy. Did you hurt him?!”

“Well that would’ve been good to know _before_ I bit him,” Atem replied, wide-eyed and fearful. “A rabid frenzy?”

“Or a high,” Mai offered unhelpfully. “Depending on which blood-type you consumed, you don’t die from it, but…he might. You might have hurt his insides. I hope you didn’t.”

“He wasn’t—he wasn’t bleeding,” Atem said weakly, feeling faint, and his stomach churned with dread.

“No, his insides can bleed too,” Anzu said worriedly. “Humans can bleed Internally. Do you know anything about that?”

“No?” Atem whispered, trying desperately to recall what he had learned about human anatomy centuries ago in school. “I can’t recall.”

“They don’t teach you that shit in school, please,” Mai said sarcastically, rolling her eyes. “This is something Warriors are taught. If you hit a human hard enough, they’ll…kinda…pop. Inside. It’ll be a painful death.”

“They do not _pop_ , Mai, come on.” Anzu growled, sitting on the floor beside Atem and moving to grab his hands reassuringly, and Atem gripped her hands back in return, willing himself to remain calm.

Kaiba was fine. Kaiba was always fine.  
He was not bleeding to death from the inside.  
He acted fine afterwards, so he had to be fine.

“Kaiba?” Mai asked, catching Atem’s thoughts and making direct eye-contact with Anzu. “Did you hear that, Zuzu?”

“Seto…Kaiba?” Anzu squeaked, the color draining from her face, and Atem looked between the two mermaids, wondering why the atmosphere had changed so dramatically.

“You know him?!” Atem felt a rush of relief. “Is he a famous human? Have you seen him before? He’s beautiful, isn’t he?”

“Well, oh! Humans age,” Mai said, clicking her manicured fingers together quickly. “Zuzu, he’s not eight anymore. He has to be about…like, twenty or something now.”

“Right!” Anzu clapped her hands together and looked relieved, and then stricken again. “But…he’s a Kaiba.”

“That he is,” Mai said dryly, and Atem felt oddly left out.

“You were probably still a hatchling then,” Mai said loftily, giving him a condescending look. “There was an evil human named Gozaburo Kaiba, and he was at war with other humans, dropping metal debris everywhere that sank and hurt several of our colonies. Warriors had to be deployed on land to negotiate for our safety.”

Stunned speechless, Atem looked to Anzu for help.  
Kaiba was not an evil man!

“They’re related.” Anzu said nervously, glancing at Mai hesitantly. “Should I show him the picture?”

“Do whatever you want,” Mai scoffed, tying a bright blue tie at the end of her hair and admiring it carelessly. “Just do it quick. He has to leave soon. I’ve been keeping the time, don’t worry.”

“Picture?” Atem croaked, watching Anzu leave his side and start rummaging at the back of the cave. “Well, regardless. My Kaiba is…well, he’s charming, and has my best interests at heart. He released me when I was captured.”

“Hmm,” Mai hummed noncommittally as Anzu came rushing back with a piece of paper stuck in plastic.

Atem accepted the sheet of plastic from her and gazed down into it, shocked to see a tiny version of Kaiba on the cover, looking deeply unhappy while his hand was being held by a fat, old human, wearing an ugly red suit.

“He looks…angry here,” Atem said carefully, wondering if this was really his Seto Kaiba as a child.

The title of the magazine was “ ** _Gozaburo Kaiba Adopts Two Children from an Orphanage”._**

“So they are _not_ blood relations!” Atem said loudly, feeling another wave of relief. “Seto Kaiba and Mokuba were taken in by this cruel man. Seto Kaiba is nothing like this man. He is intelligent and warm-hearted.”

“I can’t believe you’re having sex with him,” Mai snickered, snatching the plastic sheet back and tossing it over her shoulder. “Is he good at it?”

“Wrong questions!” Anzu cried, looking distraught. “Is he…starting wars right now? Wait, you said, you made a pact with him to keep us a secret. Oh, my brave king!”

“I’m not brave. He sly-tongued his way around his words regarding war,” Atem raged, finally understanding why Kaiba was such a devilish being. “But he instructed metal ships to help clean up the garbage around our hemisphere. He offered me that all on his own.”

“And then you…fucked him and bit him.” Mai grinned, propping her elbow up on the side of the couch. “I bet he _loved_ that. Or did he fuck you?”

“Mai!” Anzu exclaimed, but Atem didn’t mind answering truthfully.

Talking about it was like repenting.  
He was grateful to have a keen audience who wanted to listen to his sins.

“He tried, but failed, so I’m always the one…fucking him,” Atem said in a rush, his ears growing hot with embarrassment. “And his hands, they’re always gentle. He knows…so much about pleasure.”

“Oh my dear Goddess Teuri,” Anzu gasped, turning pink and placing a hand on her chest, patting herself frantically. “I bet he’s really handsome now, isn’t he?”

“Yes, he is the most beautiful human man I’ve ever seen,” Atem declared, feeling his confidence return in a rush. “He even said he would bring down a chunk of the moon if I so wished. It was terrifying to hear his thoughts, because he was really going to do it.”

“See?” Mai nodded knowingly. “That’s true love. Find me a mer-person anywhere who will do that, Anzu. That’s why I’d rather live in Confinement than mate with another mer-person for the rest of my life. I swear to Ahti on it.”

“But back to the blood!” Anzu cried, steering the conversation back on track. “You need to be very careful, Atem. Human insides are delicate and complicated, like ours.”

“He can endure many things,” Atem said cautiously, remembering how Kaiba had sat cold water for him many times. “He will be in the water with me for hours on end, even though it’s cold for him.”

“No…no, no,” Mai shook her head, her brow furrowed with concern. “He will willingly sit in the water with you until his legs turn blue and fall off, all while not showing any signs of distress. You underestimate the power of human love, Atem.”

Atem wrung his hands tightly, feeling another rush of guilt. “S-So you mean to say…he was freezing the entire time?!”

“Most definitely.”

“Probably...yes,” Anzu said worriedly. “A human will love you so much, that if you asked him to kill himself, he’d do it to please you without a second thought. Think about how he reacted when you asked him for the moon? Now translate that to...his own life.”

“And that’s why we’re in jail,” Mai said in a singsong voice. “None of my humans ever killed themselves. Plenty of other mermaids here have humans who did, though. Just stick your head out and ask.”

“I believe you,” Atem said in a heated rush, feeling his head spin terribly again as the air grew thin. “But if I tell him not to, he won’t, right?”

“Unsure, because humans are unstable like that,” Mai frowned, undoing the tie around her braid out of boredom and plaiting her hair again. “They’ll say ‘yes’ to your face and then do something completely different. They’re skilled liars, I’m sure you know.”

“Yes, he’s hiding something!” Atem nodded desperately, remembering all the times Kaiba thought about ‘telling the truth’ but never actually did. “Why does he want to lie to me? I won’t hurt him.”

“He thinks the truth, whatever it is, might hurt you,” Anzu said gently. “See? Humans are complicated. Life is more difficult on shore. Other humans are vile. This one you’ve met sounds good though.”

“I’ve heard things about Gay Humans,” Mai muttered, and Anzu shot her a venomous glare.

“Not today, Mai. Now, Atem…” Anzu turned to give Aten’s hand one last warm squeeze. “Don’t drink any more of his blood. Be gentle when love-making, and get that lipstick.”

 “I tried to be gentle!” Atem protested, feeling as if he had done a terrible wrong. “But he kept asking for more!”

Both women stared at him for a moment before bursting out with laughter.

“It’s time for you to go,” Mai announced, grinning and tapping her temple playfully. “I’ve counted my heartbeats. Leave now, King, or start wheezing.”

“Thank you,” Atem said, rising up hastily and dusting the sand off the back of his fins. “You’ve made me feel better. I feel like…I’ve committed a crime.”

“It’s only a crime if the human is hurt,” Mai said firmly. “Don’t let people tell you otherwise. If you love him, and he loves you, there’s no crime.”

“There’s no crime,” Anzu echoed warmly, loosening the kelp curtain and holding it open for him. “Can you make it to the top yourself or do you need our help again?”

“I should be fine,” Atem answered blithely, once again feeling as if a great weight had been lifted off his shoulders. “Thank you so much. I’m in your debt.”

“We’re in yours,” Anzu said warmly, giving Atem a quick hug before floating back into the cave and hanging onto the kelp curtain with one hand, waving with the other. “Safe travels, Atem!”

Atem waved happily over his shoulder, and heard Mai call out to him, “Wait! You forgot your weapon! This one has a royal insignia on it!”

“Please keep it for me!” Atem called back, and he made a hasty exit, barreling upwards to better air. His chest was beginning to grow painfully tight.

Unable to breathe properly anymore, Atem held his breath and beat his tail heavily, pushed his way through the dirty debris-littered water before bursting out of the top of the fissure, gasping for air.

Swimming powerfully back towards the palace, Atem took deep, steady breaths, willing his pounding heart to calm down.

There was no crime. He would not drink human blood again. Kaiba was not hurt, and he needed to be gentler when lovemaking.

Daring himself to feel happy again, Atem pressed on, letting his mind wander happily to the memory of Kaiba’s lips against his skin.

* * *

Kaiba stood from his desk and stretched tiredly. He had been extremely productive today.

Time to call it a day and sit on the beach with Atem while watching the sunset.

Excited, Kaiba packed all his stuff into his briefcase and strode out of the office, passing by his secretary’s desk and catching a whiff of her food.

It was a horrible, sour stench of something… _awful.  
_What the fuck was she eating?

He stopped mid-step and turned to stare at her.  
She stared back, her chopsticks halfway to her mouth with a piece of seared fish clamped tightly between them.

“What are you eating?” Kaiba asked bluntly, his stomach churning with nausea at the sudden violent assault to his senses. “It reeks.”

“But it’s smoked salmon!” She protested, wondering why the CEO was criticizing her food of choice out of the blue. “I bring this all the time!”

Kaiba shook his head tightly, about to retaliate with an insult, but bile was rising so quickly up his throat, he could barely do anything other than lean over the wastebasket by her desk and vomit into it.

“Oh my…!” She leapt to her feet and her chopsticks went clattering to the floor noisily. “Mr. Kaiba! I’m so sorry! Are you…sick?”

Kaiba winced in pain as his throat burned, and his knees stung when they hit the ground. He gasped for air, trying to respond as he gripped the edge of the wastebasket, extremely furious with himself, and very embarrassed.  
  
Yeah. Sick. The scent of cooked fish made him sick.  
  
Probably because it was like as if he had smelled singed human flesh. 

Another thing to put in the personal log.  
No more cooked fish.  
No more smoked fish, seared fish, fried fish, or anything other than raw fish.

“I…I have an antacid…” she stammered nervously, reaching into her purse for a stack of napkins, and she handed Kaiba one, her hand shaking. “I’m so sorry. I’ll take my food outside from now on. You never seemed to mind what I eat…”

Kaiba swiped the napkins out of her grasp and stumbled back into his office to use the bathroom.

His secretary watched him go, extremely stunned. Mr. Kaiba never showed any signs of illness in all her years of working his front desk, but today, something was wrong.

Kaiba bent over the sink and washed his face with cold water, feeling another dry heave coming on and he tensed, willing his body to calm down.

No more singed flesh.  
Time to avoid all of Japan, especially the luxurious restaurants that served fish. Damn. Damn it all.

Taking deep, trembling breaths, Kaiba opened his eyes and glared at himself in the mirror, thankful that he didn’t look worse for wear.

He dried off and composed himself haughtily, cursing Atem in his mind as he walked out of the bathroom and past his office doors, pleased to see that his secretary had left, even taking care to bundle up the plastic in the wastebasket and leave a note taped to it for the cleaning crew.

She deserved a fucking raise for that.

Picking his briefcase up from the floor, Kaiba held his breath when he caught another sour whiff of the smoked fish, and he hurried into the elevator, desperate for clean air.

That was horrible.  
Each new discovery regarding his regular scale consumption was becoming more and more unpleasant.

If it wasn’t being boiled alive in the shower, it was vomiting at the first scent of a cooked fish.

 _But for Atem, it’s all fucking worth it_ , Kaiba thought furiously to himself, stabbing the elevator button and leaning against the mirrored walls.

Perhaps it was finally time to tell Atem about drinking the liquified scales, because these embarrassing and life-threatening moments could all be avoided if Atem just told him what to do.

 _I’ll tell him tonight_ , Kaiba thought decidedly, crossing his arms and frowning at his own reflection in the elevator mirrors.

* * *

Atem sat nervously on his throne, surrounded by angry and concerned faces of his royal court.

Everyone was gathered in a circle around him, while the palace guard, the Stealthsman, floated in the center, looking extremely frightened.

“Tell them what you told me,” Mahad said coldly, pointing his staff threateningly at the Stealthsman gold-armored chest. “Slander the king, right to his face while we all listen. And Atem, you _must_ hear this.”

Atem shook his head fearfully, desperately trying to make eye contact with Mahad in order to send him a private thought, but his bodyguard was fixated angrily on the palace guard in the middle.

“Oh, what is it now?” Solomon grumbled, folding his arms across his chest and eyeing the guard tiredly. “Speak, lest we behead or banish you.”

“Old practices, which we won’t do, because they don’t apply here in this situation,” Shadi said, trying to sound reassuring. “You are not a criminal. What do you have to say, Stealthsman? You are an honorable warrior. Do you stake your reputation on it?”

The guard shook his head, his eyes wide with terror while he remained silent.

Atem drummed his fingers nervously against the throne’s armrest. He had a bad feeling about what was about to happen next.

“Very well, he won’t speak, so I will speak for him,” Mahad said, his voice shaking, and Atem tried to make eye-contact again, but he was soundly ignored.

“This man here says he saw our king mating with an unwilling human male on shore, while feeding on his blood. That is the most blasphemous sentence I’ve ever spoken, may Suijin have mercy on my soul. Now, what punishment does this man deserve?”

“He said…WHAT?!” Solomon roared, and everyone flinched. “Mating? With an unwilling human male? While feeding on his blood? Are you telling tall tales of lies and horror, Stealthsman?”

“How do human males mate with other human males?” Rishid asked gruffly, and he was given a poisonous glare from Isis.

“That is neither here nor there,” the priestess declared, shaking her dark hair back on her shoulders and glaring at the guard. “What did our king do to you, to make you speak such lies, Stealthsman?”

“You hate the human, we understand that,” Shadi said, projecting his own hatred in his statement. “But there’s no need to lump our youngest king in with that shore-walking mongrel. Slander the human all you want, but why say that Atem was feeding on his blood?”

The guard remained willfully silent and kept his head down.

Atem curled his fingers into a fist, beginning to feel increasingly more guilty. It seemed this innocent man was about to face punishment…for telling the truth.

“Perhaps, you saw Atem attack the human,” Mahad suggested, prodding the Stealthsman’s plate with the tip of his staff. “You saw blood. Atem returned without his weapon because he left it stuck in the human’s chest.”

“The human is alive,” Atem said, his mouth moving before he could stop himself, and he cursed silently, shaking with a mixture of dread and fear at the thought of what he was about to do.

He couldn’t sit idly by while this warrior was punished for speaking the truth.  
He was a bad king if he let this punishment go through.  
It was time to confess.

There was a long, tense silence as everyone waited for him to speak again.

“Do not punish this warrior, for he did nothing wrong,” Atem said shakily, rising slowly from the throne and gazing at each angry face in his court. “What he says…is true.”

Atem bowed forward humbly, feeling his eyes burn with unshed tears of anger and shame as he spoke clearly.

“So, punish me, dethrone me, behead me, or throw me in Confinement. I accept my fate willingly.”

It didn’t matter how many times the mermaids in Confinement told him that what he did wasn’t a crime. It felt like crime, and his people treated it like a crime, therefore, mating with Seto Kaiba…was a crime.

There was angry sputtering and noises of disbelief coupled with contempt, but Atem did not raise his head. He expected to be speared on the spot by Shadi or Solomon.

“A-Atem….” Mana’s voice was barely a whisper. “I don’t believe you.”

“Then don’t believe me,” Atem said evenly, keeping his fists clenched at his sides. “But don’t punish the guard for reporting my sins.”

There was another long and tense silence before Solomon spoke, dismissing the guard.

Atem grit his teeth, still waiting to be killed.

“Look me in the face, in the eyes, and tell me exactly what you did,” Solomon’s voice was rough and commanding. “Now, Atem. Raise your head!”

Aatem obediently raised his head and looked Solomon right into his round, violet eyes, gathering his courage and speaking with one breath.

 “While in captivity, I mated with him in exchange for my freedom. After my release, I grew fond of him, and made a blood pact, hoping to prevent any future wars he might start if I didn’t surface to see him. But in our blood pact, I agreed to see him as a part of my duties, and our mating continued, before escalating yesterday when I bit him in jest. I never intended to actually bite him—”

“The mermaids in Confinement have brainwashed you,” the old merman interrupted him, pointing his staff accusingly at Atem’s chest. “Mahad had reports of you playing and wrestling with the human on your previous journey to shore. How does that escalate to mating, I ask you?”

Atem squared his shoulders and held the old man’s gaze steadily, “I love him. Not like a brother or a friend. I love him like a Mate.”

“You...can _not_!” Shadi cried, losing his composure quickly and glancing around the throne room with an air of panic. “He is a human man! You are a merman! We need an heir!”

“Just because I mated with him, doesn’t mean I won’t mate with other mer-people,” Atem argued, realizing how bad that sounded, and his feelings were mirrored with noises of disgust.

“No mermaid will ever want to come near you after hearing what you’ve done,” Rishid added unhelpfully. “You’ve been tainted. Perhaps Confinement is the right place for you. You’re making history, Atem. You’re quickly becoming the most problematic royal we’ve had this millennium.”

“No…NO!” Mana cried, rushing to place herself in front of Atem, her eyes brimming with tears. “Did you not hear what he said? He did it for freedom!”

“I knew that slime bag was acting strange! I told you, Mahad!” Shadi roared. “He released Atem too quickly, and why? Because of this! Precisely this! He didn’t want riches, because he was busy _dirtying our king_!”

Mahad opened and closed his mouth angrily, at a loss for words.

“This is all my fault…because I was afraid—” Mana cried, and Atem shook his head, interrupting. “No, Mana. I could have bargained away anything else, but I chose to indulge him…with mating.”

“Are you acting out because you miss your father, Atem?” Shadi asked grimly, looking at the king with mild sympathy. “Is that why you’re behaving this way?”

“What do we do?” Isis asked, looking to Solomon for guidance. “Atem is our youngest king, making the mistakes of a young mer-person. Confinement is not a constructive form of punishment, nor is death, or banishment. Also, dethroning our True King will make us appear weak to other colonies.”

 “He also has a blood pact hanging over his head,” Rishid added, “with a human. The only sitting royal with an active blood pact, and a criminal sentence. Truly, this is one for the books.”

“Rishid, I will scratch you!” Mana shrieked, and Atem held onto Mana’s arm tightly, giving her a gentle shake. “Mana…please. I deserve any and all punishment. Don’t stand up for me. What I did was…”

Atem faltered uncharacteristically. Sex with Seto Kaiba had been amazing, wonderful, glorious. The most beautiful moments had come from those precious minutes they shared together on shore.

“I am disappointed in you, Atem,” Solomon said, shaking his head, his white hair flowing softly around his face. “We are still expecting great things from you. We will need to devise the appropriate punishment.”

“I want to pay the human a visit,” Shadi spat, pointing up at the surface with a clawed finger. “It’s about that time, right? Let’s hold an open court session with Seto Kaiba on shore, and then…I will stick this spear through his face for lying to us regarding Atem’s capture.”

“I will join you,” Mahad fumed, raising his spear in support, feeling a rush of solidarity towards Shadi. “I’ll drown him while he bleeds from the wound you made.”

“No need, no need.” Solomon held up a hand, and Atem gazed fearfully at the old merman. “Atem, you will no longer make journeys to shore. At all.”

“Ever?” Atem breathed, slowly growing numb with horror. “I need…the sun.”

“Then you will get the proper amount of sun, accompanied by a group of armed guards,” Solomon declared, and everyone nodded in agreement. “You only need the sun once every decade, so, this will be your punishment.”

“Supervised Sun-Time, no shore, no humans,” Rishid summarized, sounding slightly appalled. “Sounds like the punishment mermaids get in Confinement.”

“Yes, but Atem will still sit on the throne and complete his duties, as per his blood pact,” Solomon said cleverly. “Mahad and I have spent a great deal of time thinking about how to worm our way out of your pact, and this is how.”

Mana pressed a hand to her mouth, her eyes wide.

“As long as you are ‘doing your duties’, going on shore will _not_ be one of those duties,” Solomon proclaimed, and Atem could feel his heart sinking lower and lower into his stomach. “The court now declares that our king, Atem, will not have to surface at all for the next century, therefore, absolving him from any shore-related visits with the problematic human.”

There was a silence.

“That should do it,” Solomon said gruffly, pointing his staff at Atem sadly. “You are my blood, Atem. I will not let you waste your time traveling to and from shore. From now on, your duties as king are as follows: take care of our people here and produce an heir.”

“But what if that didn’t break the blood pact agreement?” Isis asked worriedly, and Atem couldn’t find his voice to argue. He as being…punished in the worst way possible, and he couldn’t do anything about it.  
No shore visits for the next century?  
How long did humans live?  
Would he be able to see Seto Kaiba after his punishment was over? Would Seto Kaiba still be waiting for him on the shore after he disappeared for a century without so much of a goodbye?

“Then we will bring him to shore, with an army,” Mahad growled, and Shadi nodded in vicious agreement. “The human wants to see Atem? He’ll need eyes to do that. I know a mermaid who collects eyeballs out of dead human skulls. She pays a good price for fresh ones.”

“That’s extreme, even for you, Advisor,” Isis said coldly before turning to address Atem. “This is a mild punishment, as I’m sure you know. The mermaids you’ve spoken to have all been condemned for several millennia. Let this horrific event pass us by, my king. We will forgive you.”

 “Yes, we will work past this!” Mana gasped, grabbing Atem’s hand tightly and hanging on for dear life. “Your century will be over before you know it, and you can sun yourself fully on any shore you want.”

“But! You must first think about what you’ve done,” Solomon said angrily, shaking his head and beginning to float away. “You kids these days all have too much freedom. When I was a hatchling, I didn’t get shore-visits until I was _at least_ two centuries old. Look at you, Atem, barely a century has passed since your crowning, and you’re acting like a delinquent.”

“H-Half a century…please!” Atem begged, finally finding his voice. “This is cruel! I can’t just disappear without telling him why! Let me say goodbye...!”

“NO! Absolutely not!” Mahad shouted, losing his temper and making meaningful eye contact with Shadi. “He is dangerous! He captured you, and then fooled you into believing you love him like a Mate! Come to your senses, my dear Atem!”

“Th-That’s horrible…” Mana breathed, gripping her cheeks with white fingertips. “Humans will do that? Have you really been fooled, Atem?”

“No!” Atem raged, but Isis spoke over him at the same time, “Yes!”

“Humans are clever,” Isis declared. “They will hold their own kind in captivity until a change of heart happens. They do this with children until they become adults, and their brains will know nothing other than what they’ve learned in captivity. I can believe they will do it for other species too.”

“That’s shocking! Horrible!” Rishid cried, looking truly disturbed. “I take it they steal their own young from their nurseries too.”

“They do that,” Isis said solemnly. “They even kill their own offspring because they regret having them.”

“You’re describing only the negative aspects of human behavior!” Atem protested, and he was given sympathetic look from Isis.

“Regardless. Your place is here, my king,” she sniffed, brushing past Rishid and Shadi, heading for the main hallway. “This discussion has been sufficiently stressful, and I love you dearly, Atem. Farewell and good night.”

“Good night indeed,” Rishid muttered, and he swam off in a huff, followed by Shadi, and Mahad, who spared Atem a pained look over his shoulder before swimming off, leaving only Solomon and Mana in the throne room with him.

“I know that look, young one,” Solomon said gently. “You’re angry. Go on and cry all you want. You’ll feel much better after a good cry, and when you’re as old as me, you’ll understand from my point of view.”

 _Doubt it_ , Atem growled privately through clenched teeth, and Mana gave his arm a painful squeeze.

Solomon swam slowly out of the throne room, and Atem blinked rapidly, hating how tears fell so freely from his eyes. There was a terrible crushing weight in his chest coupled with a hot rush of anger and frustration.  
  
There had to be a way around this punishment.

He knew it wasn’t even that bad of a punishment compared to what the other mermaids got for similar crimes, but this meant he would not be able to see Kaiba for another century, and that thought was agonizing.

Mana caught Atem’s tears in her cupped hands and gazed sadly at him, trying to console him with her thoughts, but Atem’s mental wall was too strong, so she sat beside him in silence while the king continued to cry silently.

Taking a deep shuddering breath, Atem managed to speak through clenched teeth. “Mana…how long do humans live?”

“I don’t know. I forgot,” Mana replied quietly, and Atem nodded stiffly, thinking he would spend most of the next century in Confinement anyway…with the only two real friends he had.

* * *

**Author’s note:**

Scale consumption makes Kaiba’s skin hydrophobic and the smell of burnt fish makes him sick.

Atem gets complete opposite reactions when telling people about his relationship with kaiba.

Sad times are being had.

Next chapter coming soon  
  
hugs,  
Ugli


	16. Chapter 16

The sun was setting slowly as Kaiba stabbed Atem’s spear into the wall of rock facing the water.

The metal made a dull clunking sound as it hit the cliffside, and a tiny bit of rock fell off.

Kaiba continued to chip away at the side, intent on making a crevice large enough to fit one of his smallest surveillance cameras.

It needed to be a hole the size of his palm, and he had already tried drilling into the rock, but with poor results. The high-powered drill and steel camera mount caused the rock to powder and crumble.

It seemed whatever the spearhead was made from, it gave him more control, and he was able to cut slivers of rock out of the side, just the way he wanted.

Pleased with the sharp indent he had made, Kaiba wedged the spear in to cut grooves along the inside of hole.

He bent down to pick up the camera from the sand and he securely wedged it into the rock, thinking it looked a bit ugly and obvious, but it would do its job.

Sighing tiredly, Kaiba sat down and gazed out over the water, wondering what was taking Atem so long to show up.

Maybe the daily shore time was a bit too much and he would be coming tomorrow.

Unfazed, Kaiba rose to his feet and walked back to the beachfront house, deciding to busy himself with testing the cameras.

If Atem showed his face a bit later, he’d be able to catch him popping up on camera, and he could set up a remote alert system.

* * *

Atem swam in frantic circles around his room while he flipped through a book he had borrowed from the Royal Library.

He slid his claw down the smooth plastic pages, reading intently.  
This was human anatomy. There was nothing here about life-spans.

After his horrible confession yesterday, Atem was sure that no one wanted to talk about humans with him anymore.

The only people he could ask about human life-spans were the mermaids in Confinement, but he couldn’t leave the palace without an armed guard for ‘protection’.

 _I’m a prisoner in my own home_ , Atem thought furiously, hurling the book in a rage across the room and watching it hit the wall with a dull thunk and slowly fall to the sandy floor.

He gazed up at the ceiling and bit back frustrated tears again.  
No. Crying was useless. He needed more information.

Atem got up and swept the book off the floor, deciding he would read through the entire book until he went cross-eyed. Everything here was related to Seto Kaiba, and this was one way to stay close to him while they were apart.

Opening the book with renewed determination, Atem narrowed his eyes and continued to read about human knees and the tendons that made them move.

* * *

Kaiba rolled tiredly out of bed and silenced his beeping alarm.

There was a headache pounding at his temples and he pressed a hand to his eyes, breathing lightly as a wave of nausea rose steadily up his chest, threatening to consume him.

 _I fucked up again, somehow,_ Kaiba groaned, wondering if he needed to change the dosage of the scales, or stop ingesting them daily.

This was shitty, because he didn’t have another subject to test them on.

 _Maybe I should get some lab rats_ , thought Kaiba wearily, unable to move from his bed as another clenching wave overtook him.

Drinking one vial now would cure the nausea.

Moving with agonizing slowness, Kaiba made it to his desk and fumbled his briefcase open with shaking hands, doing his best not to retch into it as he extracted a vial.

Uncapping it quickly, he drank it in one gulp and shuddered, hating how cold he felt.

Blinking slowly, his head spun violently, and the room began to fade in and out of his vision while his nausea rose to an all-time high.

Cursing, Kaiba rose to his feet unsteadily and stumbled into the bathroom, making it just in time to the toilet, bending over the edge and dry-heaving painfully.

His stomach emptied the liquid scales he just drank, and bile burned his throat badly.

Kaiba coughed weakly, cursing Atem in his mind again.

 _Why am I doing this to myself?_ Kaiba tensed and rode out another low wave of nausea, deciding that it was no longer worth it to ingest the scales.

They were making him sick every day.

There was a loud rush of footsteps and Isono came running into the master bedroom, standing nervously by the bathroom door as he surveyed the odd scene.

Kaiba was kneeling by the toilet, looking pale and shaken.

“Are you sick, Master Kaiba?!” Isono cried anxiously, wringing his hands and thinking that Kaiba was overworking himself again.  
  
Stress-vomiting was something the oldest Kaiba did when he was a child, and it seemed something was causing a relapse.

“W-What did you say?” Kaiba breathed, slowly rising to his feet as the nausea subsided, and he bent over the sink to clean himself up.  
Why did the old man feel the need to bring up something about his childhood?

“I-I asked if you’re sick…!” Isono said shakily, bowing quickly. “I’m sorry for invading your privacy. I’ll knock next time.”

 _I’ll get him an antacid for his stomach, and perhaps he should cut down on the coffee_ , Isono nodded to himself and turned to go, but Kaiba called out to him again, sounding irritated.

“I don’t need an antacid,” Kaiba growled, gripping the towel tightly in his hand. “And it’s not the coffee that’s making me sick.”

Shocked speechless, Isono said nothing and nodded quietly, his mind churning with confusion.

 _Did I say that out loud?_ Isono wondered privately. _I should be more careful._

Kaiba stared at his manservant, noticing the old man’s mouth didn’t move, but his voice was still coming from him as if he was speaking.

“Whoa,” Kaiba blinked rapidly, his head spinning violently again, and he leaned over the sink heavily. “Fuck.”

 _He’s going to vomit again!_ Isono thought nervously, walking away from the door quickly.  _I’ll leave, to spare him the embarrassment…._

Isono’s voice faded as he exited the room, and Kaiba shook his head in disbelief. He gazed at himself in the mirror, noticing that he once again looked well-rested, and his skin was dewy.

 _Hello, I’m Fish-Kaiba,_ Kaiba thought anxiously, patting his cheeks and tugging at his undereye circles again. It was strange to see his own face without the dark shadows of tiredness.

To top it all off, he was hearing people’s thoughts, and Isono’s reaction had confirmed it.

 _I knew it wasn’t magic,_ Kaiba felt a rush of triumph and patted his face with the towel again.

The nausea had faded completely now, and he felt fine. Frowning at his reflection, Kaiba decided to try ingesting the scales one more time before he left for work.

He strode over to his desk and grabbed another vial from his briefcase. Uncapping it with ease, he drank it in one gulp and felt as if ice was running through his veins.  
  
The feeling faded as quickly as it came, and there was no nausea.

 “Weird.” Kaiba muttered, grabbing his phone from his nightstand and entered his symptoms in his log: _Nausea first thing in the morning, followed by vomiting after drinking the vial, and felt fine after the second vial. Can hear people’s thoughts._

 

Setting his phone down, Kaiba quickly got dressed, itching with excitement. He couldn’t wait to see Atem and hear his thoughts.

The look on his pretty face was going to be priceless.

Straightening his tie around his neck, Kaiba picked up his briefcase and strode out the door, running into Mokuba in the hallway.

“Hi Seto bye Seto, have a good day at work!” His brother called carelessly over his shoulder as he brushed past.

_Seto looks less tired today. I guess that’s good._

Kaiba paused in his step after hearing Mokuba’s thoughts, and he stared at his younger brother, watching him disappear back into his own room and slam the door.

 _Interesting_ , Kaiba mused, and he grit his teeth, bracing himself for a rollercoaster of a day.

* * *

“Atem?” Mana knocked gently on the king’s door and waited patiently.

There was no answer.

“Atem…please open the door. Solomon is requesting your presence in the throne room,” she said anxiously, knocking again.

After a long moment, Atem pulled the door open and stuck his head out, frowning angrily.

“I don’t want to see him, or anyone right now,” Atem replied coldly. “Thank you for checking on me, Mana—”

“No, it’s…urgent. You must come now,” Mana whispered, grabbing his hand and yanking him gently out of the room and towards the hallway. “Don’t be angry, okay? This is a good thing.”

“What is? What is it?” Atem demanded, letting Mana lead him into the hallway and pause at the entryway of the throne room. “I’m being sent to Confinement, aren’t I? The old man changed his mind?”

Mana shook her head silently and swam through the doorway, leaving Atem floating uncertainly in the hallway.

Sighing, Atem followed quickly and came to a skidding halt when he saw a line of young mermen floating by the pillars along the walls, with Solomon and Mahad in another corner of the room, whispering quietly.

What was happening?

“Ah…he’s here,” Mahad said, looking relieved, and he swam towards Atem, bowing his head stiffly and gesturing for him to float closer towards the line of strangers.

“What is this?” Atem asked impatiently, addressing Solomon, and the old merman puffed his chest out proudly, pointing at the line of young men.

“I’ve found you some friends, my boy,” the old merman said, completely oblivious to Atem’s anger. “And I made sure they’re all men, because of…well, I took your preferences into consideration.”

Speechless with shock and disgust, Atem said nothing and eyed the strangers quickly, noting that they were all about his age. Solomon had even gone out of his way to pick men sporting a variety of features.

One merman was blond with brown eyes, and another merman was very muscular, with brown hair styled into a single spike. Another had long black hair and wore an impressive amount of jewelry he had clearly made himself.

“I... don’t want…or need…new friends,” Atem breathed, thinking if the old man was going hand-pick friends, he should just release the two mermaids from Confinement and bring them into the palace to be his friends.

“No, my king,” Mahad said awkwardly, giving Atem’s arm a familial pat. “The old man means, perhaps, you’ll feel comfortable enough to…mate with them after becoming friends.”

Stunned, Atem felt his heart sink painfully into his stomach and curl with disdain.  
  
Hell. No.

“You think you can just push me together with these men, and we’ll mate?” Atem rounded on Solomon, shaking with rage. “Who do you take me for?”

“You’ve managed to mate with… a _someone_ , within a span of one moon cycle,” Solomon retaliated, tapping his staff impatiently against the nearest pillar. “We will not speak his name, but if you can love _that someone_ like a Mate, then there’s no reason you can’t do that here now, with these lovely men we’ve chosen for you.”

“We’ve chosen these men with great care,” Mahad added, noticing the king’s expression darkening rapidly with every passing second. “Please give them a chance. You’re clearly old enough now, and you’re feeling the urge to mate—”

“I hate this,” Atem declared, noticing one of the mermen flinching, but he ignored it. “I’d sooner mate with you, Mahad.”

There was a tense silence, and his bodyguard cracked a weak smile. “M-My lord, I’m flattered…but I see you as a brother, and a friend.”

“I was joking,” Atem growled, hating how seriously everyone was taking him. “I don’t want to have anything to do with these men. Send them away and leave me alone.”

“Very well, we’ll be sure to include mermaids in the next selection process,” Solomon said gravely. “At the very least, you should spend a decade with your future Mate—Atem, come back here!”

Atem stormed out of the throne room, thoroughly fed up with Solomon’s antics.

That old man’s head was full of antiquated ideas and methods.  
  
No merman was ever going to replace Seto Kaiba.  
No one could replace Seto Kaiba, unless it was Seto Kaiba himself.

The concept of mating with only one person had taken hold inside of Atem’s thoughts, and he swore he would not mate with another mer-person, because Seto Kaiba was always going to be the superior option.

* * *

Kaiba walked out of the elevator with a spring in his step. He paused as he passed the front desk where his secretary sat.

She sprung to her feet and bowed deeply while apologizing profusely. “Mr. Kaiba! Good morning! I’m so sorry about yesterday regarding the smoked fish…”

_He looks good today! Very refreshed! His skin is glowing, and he looks like he slept well, thank goodness. I’m going to have a good day today, and hopefully I won’t have to apologize to anyone he yelled at over the phone._

She straightened up with a bright smile and nodded.

Kaiba’s mouth fell open slightly and he reminded himself to keep a straight face.

“I…feel fine. It wasn’t your fault,” he said hurriedly, hearing another rush of thoughts from her in response while she bowed again quickly.

_Thank goodness. I’d be really concerned if he took a sick leave. I’d be buried in his work. I don’t know if I can manage! I really need a few more paychecks to save up enough for my wedding._

 “Wow,” Kaiba said, and he walked quickly into the safety of his office, praying he wouldn’t be able to hear her thoughts through the walls.

He had originally hired this woman because she neat, cheery, and approachable. She didn’t ask a bunch of annoying personal questions the moment he walked in and was always showed up on time.

She was the perfect secretary…until now.

Sitting down at his desk, Kaiba grit his teeth, hearing her voice in his head again, but more faintly.

_…Ah…he ignored me as usual. I really need to get used to that. I let him treat me badly because he’s handsome…I’m the worst…._

_I don’t treat her badly,_ Kaiba frowned, feeling a rush of annoyance, and he strode back out to pick a fight with her.

“Hey, you!” Kaiba growled, sticking his head out of his door and glaring at her, seeing her squeak and jump to her feet again. “I don’t treat you badly, do I?”

Her eyes widened as she opened and closed her mouth in shock.

Bowing again, she raced through her words, “No, not at all Mr. Kaiba! I’m very grateful for this position because…”

_OH! MY! GOD! He scared me so much! And this just confirms that he doesn’t even know my name! I’ve been sitting here for two years, and he still calls me ‘hey you!’ And I can never leave early because he’ll think I’m lazy, and he works such irrational hours, I’ve had to cancel so many dinner dates with Tsukiya-kun!_

She beamed and looked expectantly at him for an answer, and Kaiba stared at her stupidly.

He hadn’t heard a word she had said because he had been too busy listening to her thoughts.

“M-Mr. Kaiba?” She tilted her head to the side, and Kaiba leaned back into his office awkwardly, unsure of how to respond, and _another_ tidal wave of her thoughts streamed into his consciousness.

_Whaaaat the fucckk??! Did he come out here to scare me and not listen to a word I just said? I can’t wait to tell Umeko-san. She’s going to scream. Ugh, I hope she got her dress fitted already. I can’t take another alteration bill! The flowers are expensive enough already!_

Kaiba shut his eyes tightly and tapped his foot against the floor, willing himself to remain composed.

He was learning so many new things about her personal life in the past few seconds than he’d ever learned in the past two years.

He stuck his head out again, and saw her sitting at her desk, hands poised over her keyboard with a determined look on her face.

Shit, she was right.  
He didn’t know her name.  
Whatever.

“Hey…so, I think you need a raise,” Kaiba called from his doorway, and he saw her slowly turn to face him with an incredulous expression. “Come here, and we’ll talk about how much.”

He ducked back into his office and predictably, almost instantaneously, there was a happy squeal inside of his head that almost gave him an ear-splitting headache.

 _AAAAAAAAAAA!!! No way no way! Oh my gosh he’s such a tsundere!_ ‘Do I treat you badly’ _he said,_ she mocked him in a deep voice, and Kaiba winced at her tone while she showed no signs of stopping.

 _AHAHHAHAhA and then he says_ , ‘I’ll give you a raise’ _. I CAN’T WAIT TO TELL TSUKIYA! HE’S GOING TO BE SO PROUD OF ME, but oh gosh, how much do I ask for?_  
_I don’t know how to ask._  
 _I’ve never done this before._  
 _Mr. Kaiba said I could ask, and I really want a high amount, because I take SO MUCH shit from him, I’m sure he knows! Like yesterday, he almost threw up on my new shoes!_  
 _I would’ve stabbed a pen through his handsome face without hesitation! Hmph!_

Groaning and growling, Kaiba picked up the phone and dialed her desk, hearing her thoughts pause and switch tones again.

_Ack! Why is he calling me! Oh no! He wants me in there! I CAN’T DO IT! I can’t face him and say ‘I want a ten percent raise’ because that’s too high!_

“Mr. Kaiba, I’ll be right in,” she said smoothly, and hung up, while her thoughts continued to spiral wildly.

_I texted Umeko-san…so she better respond soon or I’m going to kill her. Ah! Tsukiya replied to my text, and he said…. I am proud of you my sexy wife! AAAAAAAAA IM BLUSHING!!…you should be assertive. How? How do I do that? And make sure…he doesn’t hit on you…sexually… EW TSUKIYA! Hell no! Seto Kaiba probably has a girlfriend because he’s been leaving early this past month…._

Now mildly angry, Kaiba picked up the phone and dialed her desk again.

He could hear the phone ringing through the wall, and he heard her scream internally.

_CAN HE STOPPPP OH MY GAAADDD!!! Oh no! Is my odd behavior telling him I don’t want the raise?! Hang on, can he wait?!  STOP RINGING, YOU STUPID PHONE! I just need some advice before asking blatantly for a ten percent raise! I heard people can get fired when they ask for too much!_

“Oh my fucking god,” Kaiba growled, flipping open his laptop and quickly searching her name in his payroll.

Mayumi Nakano.

He rose to his feet and walked out of his office, seeing her sit up straighter and make eye-contact, looking slightly panicked.

“Nakano-san,” Kaiba said plainly, scanning her desk and seeing no personal items on display. “I take it you don’t want the raise.”

Her mouth dropped open and she shook her head fervently. “No, Mr. Kaiba! You misunderstand! I’m just waiting for some advice!”

There was a silence, and Kaiba realized her thoughts had stopped because she fully meant what she said.

Ah…so this was how to make the thinking stop.

“Well, _my_ advice?” Kaiba replied heatedly, seeing her blush and look down at her keyboard. “How about you just take a ten percent raise and stop wasting my time?”

 _TSUNDERE! One-thousand percent tsundere!_ She cried inside her mind, and Kaiba forced a smile on his face, seeing her leap to her feet and lean over the front of her desk, her eyes sparkling, her mouth moving, but all he could hear was:

_AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA DID HE REALLY SAY TEN PERCENT?! HE DID! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA I know he’s not listening to a word of my thanks, but I don’t care! I’ll take any abuse from him from now on! I’ll clean up his vomit ten times over!!!_

“You are so strange,” Kaiba said, biting back a laugh, and he walked back into his office, hearing her call after him.

“What was so strange? All I said was, ‘thank you!’”

Kaiba turned to give her a look over his shoulder. “Yeah, but you say it strangely.” And he closed the door behind him, hearing her inside his head.

_Wh-Whaaaaaaat?!?!?!??!?!? H-He’s so charming when he does that! No! No, Mayu, stupid! He’s being mean! Oh gosh focus, focus, work work…I need to show him I deserve that ten percent!_

_I can’t work like this,_ Kaiba thought angrily, wondering if there was a way to block someone else’s thoughts.

It was now time to fully test how this thought-permeation worked, because he was experiencing it personally— _Umeko-san’s dress fits perfectly now thank god! And I have the funds to pay for that alteration and splurge on white flowers for all the tables!_

A notification popped up on his computer screen and Kaiba glanced down at it, seeing her organizing his entire schedule for the next month with ease while in her mind, it was nothing but: _TSUKIYA SAID HE GOT ME A SURPRISE PRESENT TO CONGRATULATE ME ON MY RAISE! AAAAaaaAaAAAA I HOPE HE’S GONNA DRESS UP!! I’m going to wear the black lace dress I got from…._

His calendar made another ping, and Kaiba glanced down, amazed.  
How the hell did she work like this?  
Her mind was screaming about her wedding and dresses while she was extremely productive. She was also texting her fiancé because her thoughts kept reading his messages.

 _I need a thought blocker_ , Kaiba raged, getting up and pacing his office. The only way he knew of, was distance, but it had to be something else. It wasn’t just distance causing a disruption, otherwise they’d be able to hear each other no matter the range—OH MY DARLING, _I LOVE YOU TOO TSUKIYA! OMG he sent me a shirtless photo while I’m at work, he’s so naughty hehehehe maybe I should go to the bathroom and take a picture with my bra strap showing….hehehe!_

Kaiba stormed out of his office and placed his palms down on the bevel of the front desk, breathing deeply and willing his face to remain impassive.

_ACK SHIT. HE WALKED OUT ALL OF A SUDDEN hide hide everything, change tabs, smile at him…oouohggg what a wierdo! He’s breathing heavily! Oh god, is he gonna throw up again? No, he’s mad! Is he mad?!_

“How about a day off?” Kaiba said, giving her a grimacing smile with all of his teeth showing. “Or two days off? Or a week?”

She gaped at him, pressing her phone to her chest while her fingertips turned white. “I...Mr. Kaiba, can’t afford to take a week off,” she said quietly, and Kaiba narrowed his eyes at her, hearing her panic internally.

_I need the money to pay for Umeko-san’s big boobs to fit in her dress! I’ve had it perfectly calculated. If I don’t take any days off until March…_

“I think you misunderstand me,” Kaiba said coldly, leaning on the edge of the desk and drumming his fingers on the surface. “I meant your days off would be paid vacation time.”

“I’ve already used all my paid vacation time,” she answered automatically.

_What’s gotten into him? It sounds like he wants to get rid of me after giving me a raise!_

“So you don’t want _more_ paid vacation time?” Kaiba asked gruffly, doing his best to sound disgruntled, and her eyes widened hopefully again.

_Wait wait wait, he’s giving me a raise AND more vacation time? What is happening today? Am I dreaming?_

“May I ask why?” She gazed at him with wide eyes and Kaiba looked away quickly, feeling his cheeks burn as he replied, “You’re overworked. Take the day off.”

_He realized I’m overworked! All my prayers are being answered today! Thank you, God! A raise, with extra vacation, and a surprise day off!_

“Oh! Th-Thank you Mr. Kaiba!” She cried, jumping to her feet again with a bright smile and ducking her head down politely. “Thank you! I’ll leave right away!”

Kaiba nodded stiffly and watched her gather her things.

She tucked her laptop away in her desk and swung her purse over her shoulder while eyeing him strangely, making her way to the exit without another look behind her.

_Run…run run! Run before he changes his mind!_

Kaiba watched her frantically stab the elevator button with a manicured finger while looking very jittery.

Well, that problem was solved.  
Now it was time to figure out to make a thought-blocker.

 _Time to visit the lab,_ Kaiba thought dryly, leaning against the front desk with his hip.

The elevator dinged and she rushed inside, waving with a small smile while she bid him goodbye in her head, still celebrating.

_Bye Mr. Handsome!! Ooo he waved back! I wasn’t imagining things! I can’t wait to take a walk in the park with Noodles…_

The elevator doors slid shut and her thoughts got fainter as she traveled lower.

_Maybe I should take Noodles to the groomers today too. Ahh…I hope they can take last minute appointments…._

_Her dog’s name is Noodles,_ Kaiba rolled his eyes and propped his elbows up on the front desk counter. He raked his hands through his hair, suddenly feeling exhausted.

Having been made aware of how unhappy his secretary was didn’t feel good.

Sighing and deciding to take the day off as well to investigate his newfound ‘mind reading’ powers, Kaiba walked into his office to gather his things.

* * *

**Author’s note:**

Atem is dealing with his punishment badly, hating the fact that Solomon is trying to set him up.

Kaiba can now hear thoughts due to his regular scale consumption, and wonders if it’s worth it to continue because they cause nausea, and unpredictable side-effects are everywhere.

Questions ya’ll are asking me: atem is king. Why can’t he just do whatever he wants? Why does it seem like Solomon, Isis and even Mahad make the decisions for him?

My answer is: his colony is very political, so **the king** is more of a figurehead. He can make important decisions and people will respect him and listen, but he has a court, “the royal court” “open court” etc, which is very similar to how a Cabinet behaves.  
  
**Abbreviated definition of a Cabinet taken from Wikipedia (lol don’t kill me** ): in some countries, (a cabinet) is a collegiate-decision making body with _collective responsibility,_ or a cabinet may function purely as an _advisory body_ , typically consisting of the top leaders (ministers, secretaries, etc). The head leader will almost always follow the advice given from the Cabinet, so it won’t suddenly be like, TYRANNYYYY and everyone must listen to Atem no matter what, because then chaos would descend, and there would be war, and starvation, and riots…blah blah xD

The mer-people are (ahem, puts on monocle) _civilized_.

Alright imma go powder my curly white wig brb  
  
xo  
Ugli

p.s kinda unrelated-related: there is a mer-people hierarchy where its elders first due to their age and wisdom, so Solomon is respected for his age. (and atem resents him for his age lol)


	17. Chapter 17

Atem swam in a lazy circle in above the play structure while children played tag beneath him, and three palace guards stood at attention by the edge of the plaza.  
  
Parents were giving the guards nervous looks, and Atem’s irritation rose to an all-time high.

 _Please wait a bit farther away, you’re attracting attention!_ Atem thought angrily towards the nearest Stealthsman, and the merman shook his head stiffly, his face impassive as he replied with: _My orders were to stay within a spear’s throw, and this is where I’ll be, your majesty._

Furious, Atem dove down towards the structure, deciding he would hide from sight in one of the ship’s large smokestacks.

Two children zoomed by, laughing and calling out to him. “Greetings, King Atem!”

Atem waved back half-heartedly and swam into the small tunnel, hating everything.  
  
Supervised ‘leisurely activities’, supervised Sun-Time, supervised kelp harvesting, supervised _everything_! There was no reprieve.

A young hatchling was sitting with his arms around his tail, gazing blankly at the wall of the smokestack, and Atem drifted past him slowly before deciding to take a seat beside him.

“This is my secret hideout,” the child said brattily, giving him a glare. “Tell me the password, or I’ll have my invisible guards throw you out.”

“The password is…” Atem raked his gaze up and down the boy’s small form, taking in his light green hair, round eyes and pale skin. “Green.”

“How’d you know?!” The boy cried, looking dismayed. “No fair. You read my mind.”

“I did not.” Atem said warmly, now wishing for some peace and quiet. “I’m going to sit here and not bother you. I’m trying to hide from the palace Stealthsman.”

“Why? Is it a game?” the child asked, his eyes widening with curiosity, and Atem shook his head sadly.

“No. I just can’t go anywhere without them.”

They sat together in silence for a few moments.

Atem closed his eyes and sighed tiredly. Maybe he could pass the time here by thinking about Kaiba…again.

“King Atem…?” the boy spoke quietly, swishing some water his way which ruffled his bangs.

“Yes?” Atem opened his eyes, suddenly realizing he could ask this boy about human life spans. Young children learned about humans in school, didn’t they?

“Is it fun? To be a king?” The child asked, swishing his tail back and forth underneath him. “My sister says it’s not fun to be a royal, because you have to worry about many things.”

“I do have to worry about lots of things,” Atem said slowly, wondering how he could begin to ask the boy about humans. “I have to make sure everyone has enough kelp at the end of every moon cycle, along with other supplies.”

 “Well, thank you for doing that,” the boy said flatly. “I wanna be a warrior when I grow up and learn how to fight. Can I serve under you as your warrior?”

“You may,” Atem answered kindly, and he decided to just…ask. “Do you know how long humans live?”

The boy faced him with an excited expression. “Yes! We just learned about this two moon cycles ago. It depends on which region and what continent!”

“How about on the nearest continent, Japan?” Atem suggested, feeling a rush of excitement.

“Japanese Humans live to 85 years old,” the boy declared, looking very proud of himself. “American humans, significantly less. Like…70. Kenyans…maybe 60?”

Atem blinked and felt all the air leave his lungs in a slow squeeze.

The boy scrunched his face up and scratched his head. “We had a huge test on all on the types of humans and how long they live. I think I got a good grade. I’m the smartest in my class because I’m going to become a warrior…”

Atem couldn’t hear the rest of what the boy was saying, because a loud, terrible ringing had filled his ears. A crushing weight was growing in his chest, and his stomach was tight with anger and disbelief.

80 years? Only 80 years?!

“Yeah, it’s really short,” the boy said plainly, oblivious to Atem’s distress. “That’s why humans are so fickle. I heard that the longer humans live, the more bitter they become. Or something like that. Miss Ao says that’s the reason humans start…”

Atem zoned out again, balling his hands into tight fists while his heart pounded thickly in his ears.  
No. That couldn’t be right.  
Humans _had_ to live longer than 80 years.  
That was practically the life expectancy of a pet whale!

“I’m…sorry,” the boy said sympathetically, inching closer to Atem and patting him on his arm. “Did your pet whale pass on?”

Atem shook his head with a great effort and swam silently out of the smokestack, biting back tears of frustration and anger.

He bobbed steadily before one of the Stealthsman and pointed into the smokestack of the play structure. “There’s a child in there who wants to learn spearing techniques. Talk to him, won’t you? The password is green.”

The guard frowned at him in confusion and Atem addressed the other two men, his voice shaking with distress. “I’m going home. Escort me back to my room. I’ve had enough…”

 _Of everything,_ Atem finished mournfully in his mind, swimming off towards the palace without waiting for the men to follow.

Letting the tears run quickly off his cheeks, Atem palmed them off his face, not caring that he was littering gemstones over people’s rooftops.

He needed to renegotiate the terms of his punishment with everyone and beg for forgiveness harder than ever.

* * *

Kaiba bent down to inspect the array of lipsticks displayed before him, and all three of his chemists bowed proudly.

The women were so excited, they talked over one another and finished each other’s sentences.

Kaiba nodded absently, only half-listening, because he could hear their thoughts in-between all of their voices.

“So, we’ve finally managed to find a way to incorporate the liquid…”

_Mr. Kaiba looks handsome as usual today, no, his skin is glowing. It must be the serum. I should start using it more every night. I’ve stashed some for myself._

“…It gives the color a good sheen too!’”

_Some gay men have really good taste in makeup, but I’m not sure Mr. Kaiba knows what he’s doing here. It’s not my place to suggest the colors…is it? No one will wear this bright neon-green lipstick! Maybe a clown…._

“The sheen wears off after the first few applications, but it is very moisturizing…”

_Perhaps we should stick to colorless and odorless. Everything here doesn’t look like it belongs to the Kaiba Corporation brand. But I had so much fun making these! I hope he approves!_

“Very waterproof, as you asked. It only comes off with an oil and a light scrub.”

 _For blowjobs in the shower with his boyfriend, probably._  
_He’s having sex in the pool with lipstick on, probably._  
 _Mr. Kaiba wants a lipstick that will withstand vigorous kissing perhaps?_

Kaiba grit his teeth and felt his blood boil while his ears burned with embarrassment. Was this really what his chemists thought of him? Gay? And promiscuous?

 “I’ve been using this colorless one as a balm every night before I go to bed…” the middle chemist was still speaking, now more to her co-workers than anything. “Look at my lips. Aren’t they soft? My husband says it’s like he’s kissing a new woman.”

_I hope he takes the hint. Colorless balms are the way to go. I personally wouldn’t buy any garish Kaiba Corporation makeup._

“Make it a balm! You can sell the balm and the serum together!” The first chemist said excitedly, grabbing the tube of balm from her co-worker and tapping the end with her finger.

_People might think that Kaiba moving into the cosmetics industry is a power-hungry move. Money-hungry too._

“Stop that, Yoko-san, that goes directly on my mouth!”

_Omg this bitch did not just snatch that from my hand! I made it especially for myself!_

“I’m wearing gloves!”

_This bitch is so stingy, always stashing and making things for herself using extra materials._

“You’re wasting it by touching it!”

_I will kill her where she stands if she doesn’t give it back, right now. I’m a pregnant woman and my pregnant rage knows no bounds!_

“Yoko-san…Imako-san, please, we are giving a report,” the third chemist said anxiously, and her thoughts were the faintest of all.

_These two are so difficult to work with because they’re always secretly fighting about something. This week, it’s going to be about this lip balm. Ah…I wanna quit, but the pay is good here….and Mr. Kaiba is nice to look at. Too bad he’s gay._

“Okay, I understand.” Kaiba said, stepping back and folding his arms across his chest.

All three women quieted, staring at him apprehensively.

“The lipsticks are not going to be for sale,” Kaiba said evenly. “I take it you have left over batches? Use it all, and I’ll take everything with me. These are going to be a gift.”

The women’s mouths dropped open slightly, and Kaiba winced when all three of their thoughts jumbled together in his consciousness.

 _Wow! I WAS WRONG! HE’S NOT GAY?! Who is she?!_  
_Such a generous gesture?! For a woman, perhaps?!_  
 _HE’S GIVING A WOMAN AN ENTIRE COLLECTION OF LIPSTICKS?!?_

“And...!” Kaiba said, a little louder than he’d intended, “I want to begin testing the liquid on animals. Someone do the paperwork and bring in some rats. I’ll be conducting those tests personally.”

 _Cruel!_  
_Those poor rats, but I’m sure it’ll be for a good cause._  
 _He’s a murderer in secret! Thank god I don’t have to touch rats._  
  
“After the batches have all been used up, I’m splitting you three up into different departments, and you’ll each be working on something new,” Kaiba said calmly. “Send an email when everything is done. I’ll come by with a truck.”

 _Finally, freedom from these two!_  
_Thank…GOD! Imako-san has been showing up in my nightmares._  
 _I need something new, but I’m going on maternity leave soon…._

“Thank you, Mr. Kaiba,” came the replies, and Kaiba didn’t bother to answer. He was already halfway to the elevators, desperate to get away from the harsh truths people were spewing from their minds.

Hiding in the safety of the elevator, Kaiba breathed a tight sigh of irritation.

So, people thought he was gay?

 _Is it that obvious?_ Kaiba fumed, and he decided not to think about it further.

He was going to see Atem tonight, and thoughts of an evening in the sand with the beautiful merman was what kept him sane throughout the day.

* * *

“Mana!” Atem called, sending out solid thought-waves at the same time, racing through the long hallways of the palace, his panic rising steadily. _Mana! Where are you?!_

“She’s in the infirmary,” a maiden called to him from afar as she swam by with her friend, carrying ceramic vases in each of her arms. “I saw her there moments ago, my king.”

Nodding in thanks, Atem changed course and swam rapidly towards the infirmary, still biting back angry tears.

He had to be absolutely sure. He needed to double and triple check his sources regarding human life spans. 

If Seto Kaiba only lived to 80 years, did that mean they would never see each other again?

Atem bobbed nervously at the doorway of the infirmary, seeing Mana and the head nurse hovering over the incubators, watching eggs hatch.

A nurse waved at him and smiled warmly, welcoming him in. “My king! What brings you here today?”

“Human life spans,” Atem said instantly, and the entire infirmary grew quiet. Even the mer-people in the beds stopped mid-conversation to stare at him.

The head nurse drifted away from the incubators and approached him steadily, bowing, “My king…let’s speak in private.”

Atem nodded and followed her into a singular pod and waited for her to draw the edges closed for privacy.

“How are you doing, my king?” She asked gently, reaching forward for his hands, and Atem willingly placed them in hers, feeling his body heat up instantly as she began to examine his vitals.

“I’m stressed, angry, and trapped in my own kingdom,” Atem answered truthfully, and he received a sympathetic look in return before she released his hands and looked very worried.

“I-I’m afraid…your impotency still has—”

“I don’t care about that anymore,” Atem raged, interrupting her and knowing he sounded rude. “Please tell me everything you know about human life spans.”

“A strange request,” she replied, her cheeks reddening, but she obliged. “Humans on the shore closest to us, Japan, live to about 80 years. It depends on which continent and which region. Of course, it also depends on what the human consumes throughout their life, very similar to your pet whale, Jin, remember?”

Atem swayed on the spot, his body and mind numb with sadness and horror. So it was true. Humans lived only as long as whales…in the best-case scenario.

“Mana told me some of what happened on shore during your captivity,” the head nurse said, sounding very kindhearted. “Please don’t blame yourself. You returned alive, and that is what matters.”

“But the human…I’ll never see him again!” Atem managed through gritted teeth, growing cold all over with dread. “I didn’t even get to say thank you or goodbye.”

“The human will think very fondly of you for the rest of his life,” said the head nurse, unaware that her words were causing Atem more distress. “Perhaps we could—”

“I came here to speak with Mana, thank you.” Atem cut across her shortly and pushed his way out of the pod.  
He felt like screaming and never stopping.  
He wanted to cry and cry.  
He wanted to punch through a thousand stone pillars.  
And most of all, he wanted to be warm, in Kaiba’s arms, listening to his thoughts inside his mind while they sat on the sandy beach.

“Mana…” Atem breathed, pulling her away from the eggs and leading her out of the infirmary, out of ear-shot. “I need you to go on shore for me and send him a message.”

Mana’s eyes widened and began to glitter at the edges with unshed tears, “Y-You want me to…talk to the human, Seto Kaiba, in your place?”

“Yes.” Atem said firmly, trembling with determination. “I can’t just disappear. I promised to see him.”

“I’ll get in trouble for helping you!” Mana cried, pressing her hands against her cheeks tightly. “You want to me deliver an item, or a message?”

“Both.” Atem glanced around frantically and pushed Mana towards the end of a deserted hallway for more privacy. “The next time you go to shore, you must tell him of my predicament. Tell him, that I will still be waiting for him, and that he better still be there for me when I surface.”

“I…I’m scared,” Mana whispered. “Mahad arranged for a guard to swim with me to shore. Do I dismiss the guard? But I want him to go with me!”

“Just once, please,” Atem implored, grabbing her hands and giving them a tight squeeze. “Remember our pet whale, Jin?”

Mana nodded tearfully, her pearl tears clinking onto the hallway floor gently.

“Humans only live as long as Jin,” Atem said shakily, unable to imagine it. “My human, Seto Kaiba, will wonder about where I’ve gone…for the rest of his life! I still have so many things I want to tell him. I’m going to try to get Solomon to shorten my punishment. I want to visit him at least once every decade.”

“Then…I wish you luck,” Mana breathed, squeezing Atem’s hands tightly in return. “What item am I bringing?”

Atem blinked rapidly, also trying to hold back tears. What item would have enough meaning, enough to keep Seto Kaiba’s interest for decades on end?

Nothing.  
  
The concept of waiting decades to see each other was too daunting.

“Atem…don’t cry,” Mana said reassuringly, already crying herself. “I-I really am sorry. I’ll do it for you. I’ll go see him for you as many times as I can. Maybe twice…I don’t know. I’m really scared of surfacing.”

“I know you are frightened of going up there, but I need you to go at least once.” Atem swallowed thinly, his mind racing for something to give Seto Kaiba…something with immense meaning….

 _My earrings!_ Atem reached up and unhooked them slowly from his ears, his head spinning as he realized what he was about to do.

“Take these,” he said, pressing the gold earrings into Mana’s open hands, and her manicured fingers closed over them tightly with disbelief.

“Your mother’s earrings?” Mana whispered incredulously, and Atem nodded.

“My mother’s earrings. Give him these, and he will know that I am speaking through you.”

Mana shook her head frantically. “These are your dearest possessions! I’ve never seen you without them. You can’t give these to him! Someone will notice!”

“Find him and give them to him.” Atem insisted, looking deeply into Mana’s panic-stricken eyes. “You must, do you understand? My dearest possession is going to a person closest to my heart. Please, Mana… I love him.”

Mana clutched the earrings so hard, the hooks dug painfully into her palms and she nodded solemnly.

“I will surface alone, and I will deliver your message along with these earrings,” Mana said softly, bowing her head and suppressing a hiccup.

“What are you two whispering about?”

Both Atem and Mana jumped in surprise.  
Atem whirled around angrily, seeing another member of his court floating behind him. His royal ambassador, Shada.

He hovered awkwardly before them, the tattoos on his face looking darker than usual.

“You’ve returned from American waters!” Mana bobbed her head politely, hiding Atem’s earrings behind her back smoothly without missing a beat. “Welcome back, Shada. You’ve got a lovely tan….”

“Yes, now leave us alone,” Atem commanded, grabbing Mana by the arm and leading her down the hallway towards his room. “Good day, Shada. Debrief us later, we’re busy.”

Mana threw a nervous glance over her shoulder and gave Shada a careful wave.

Shada stayed where he was, slightly confused.  
Why had the atmosphere of the palace changed so drastically since he had been gone?

Deciding to ask Mahad, Shada swam off towards the warrior’s room. After swimming down several long hallways, he approached Mahad’s door and gave it a firm knock.

The warrior answered right away, looking tired and stressed. “Ah, Ambassador. Welcome back.”

“Mahad,” Shada said urgently, pressing his hand against the door to keep it open. “Has something happened? There’s a chill….”

Mahad shut the door to his room behind him and whispered, “Yes. Atem was captured by a human, and this very human sits on shore, awaiting a delivery of dead scales tonight.”

Bewildered, Shada followed closely behind Mahad as Mahad switched to thoughts as they swam through the palace.

_A despicable human. Forced Atem to mate with him for his freedom, and now our poor king believes he loves the human like a Mate._

Shaking with disbelief, Shada swam right out the palace gates with Mahad, absentmindedly accepting the staff that was handed to him by the door guard.

“Good, keep yourself armed.” Mahad said darkly, switching back to speaking normally. “I’m off to collect dead scales from all the salons. I know you’ve just returned from a long journey, but would you perhaps like to accompany me to deposit the scales on the human’s private rock?”

Shada nodded wordlessly, understanding the full gravity of the situation. He had just come from dealing with American Humans on the opposite shore, and the experience had been grueling.

Even though he was tired from his long swim, he was loyal to Atem, and was willing to do anything to keep the kingdom safe.

“Good man.” Mahad bowed his head in respect and dove down towards a tiny sea-shell covered rooftop of a salon, leaving nothing but a trail of clear bubbles behind his tail.

* * *

Kaiba sat on the beach, gazing out over the pink and orange waters as the sun set steadily over the horizon, casting its warm glow onto the sand beneath his toes.

He sighed irritably and inched closer to the waves, wondering if Atem was angry with him.

A thought occurred to him, and he bent forwards to inspect his own toes, checking for webs. Kaiba dug them deeper in the sand, relieved that his toes were all still separated.

“Atem!” Kaiba called, hearing his own voice echo emptily up and down the deserted beach, and he let out another sigh.

A faint buzzing was coming from afar, and Kaiba scanned the beach, thinking it sounded like his phone was ringing. Was it ringing?

His phone had been left on the desk inside the house because he wanted to avoid getting it wet.

Slowly rising to his feet, he walked back towards the property, wishing Atem would hurry up and show his face already.

Underneath the water, Mahad popped his head up and Shada followed suit, taking a loud gasp of air.

“Quiet…” Mahad muttered, scanning the shore for a human figure and seeing no one. Strange. Very strange indeed.

“Stay on high alert, Ambassador.” Mahad said stiffly, heaving the sack of scales over onto his other shoulder, eyeing the large house on the edge of the cliff. “Just because he isn’t present doesn’t mean he isn’t watching. He may have set a trap—”

“Just toss the scales on shore and be done with it.” Shada growled, beginning to feel his exhaustion in the tips of his fins. “I’ll do it.”

“No, come with me. There’s a place he carved out of the rock for us.” Mahad replied carefully, and both men dove down beneath the surface again.

Shada swam hurriedly after Mahad, barely able to keep up. His companion approached a rock bed protruding from the shore, and to Shada’s rising amazement, there was a tiny crevice dug out in the center, along with shiny steel hooks hanging in a row along the inside.

His skin crawled strangely as he inspected the deposit slot.  
This human, whoever he was, was extremely intelligent. Dangerous.  
Mahad was right to be cautious. Something also felt off about this delivery system.

“Done. Now, we leave,” Mahad growled, tucking his spear at his side and kicking off the rock.

“Wait! Warrior…” Shada leaned his ear against the rock, pricking his ears up keenly. “Do you hear that?”

Mahad froze on the spot and bobbed gently underneath an oncoming wave and also perked his ears up, listening intently.

There was the rush of water, and the wind above their heads, the quiet whisperings of fish swimming along shallow waters…and nothing else.

“I don’t hear anything, now come, let’s leave!” Mahad insisted, eager to head home, but Shada shook his head stubbornly, keeping his ear pressed against the rock.

There was a constant, high-pitched electronic whine coming from the rock. Either that, or it was coming from somewhere on shore, and Shada recognized this sound instantly. It made his hair stand on end, because it meant there was a camera nearby somewhere, or some type of recording device that was always on.

“I need to check this rock, and the surface above it.” Shada said gravely, and Mahad opened his mouth to protest, but was too late.

The bald merman had already popped his head up on the surface, his tail beating energetically beneath him, keeping him buoyant.

 _What do you see?_ Mahad hissed frantically, and Shada held up a hand under the water, gesturing for silence.

 Shada glared intently at a black camera wedged visibly in the rock, the tiny circular lens staring him right in the face.

 _I was right!_ Shada growled, lifting his spear out of the water and weighing it in his hand. It had been a while since he had speared something from this distance.

“Oh, let me do it.” Mahad surfaced too and stared at the ominous surveillance camera sticking obviously out of the pale rocks. “That… _cretin.”_

“Can you hit it from here?” Shada asked, and his question was already being answered as Mahad balanced his spear in his palm with practiced ease.

Tensing his muscles, Mahad hurled the spear with vicious force, aiming just above the tiny camera, making sure to account for gravity taking the point of his spear downwards.

Shada’s mouth dropped open as the camera shattered instantly when the tip of the spear knocked it clean from its mount, leaving nothing but a sad scrap of metal hanging out of the rock.

“You are a top warrior indeed!” Shada praised, and Mahad trembled with victorious fury. “But…your spear. Shall we work together to fetch it?”

“Leave it.” Mahad sniffed, sinking back beneath the water’s surface quickly. “He can have it…to stab himself through the neck.”

 _Such loathing,_ Shada thought mildly, diving back under the water to follow the warrior. That had been mildly uneventful. Even though this human was intelligent, Shada had a feeling everyone was overreacting to this human’s antics.

Humans loved their electronic toys. The camera was not malicious, but probably more of a safeguard.

Back inside the house, Kaiba stared dumbfoundedly at the missed call notification.

His hearing had somehow improved, because he had heard…no, he had _felt_ his phone ringing. Something in the air was conducting the signals enhancing his senses. Or it was something in the scales he was ingesting that made the air feel different?

Hitting re-dial on the unknown number, Kaiba pressed the phone to his ear, counting the rings.

A soft-spoken male voice answered the other end, sounding very tired.

“You’ve reached Dr. Marik Ishtar of the Ishtar Fertility and Family Planning Clinic. How may I help you?”

Kaiba frowned, pulling the phone away from his ear and wondering if he should hang up. What the fuck? A prank call?

“Hello?” The voice on the other end echoed thinly and Kaiba was about to hang up when the voice said his name.

“Ah! Mr. Kaiba, is it? I thought I had the right number. I apologize for not leaving a message.”

Thoroughly confused, Kaiba held the phone up to his ear again. “Who are you and how do you have my number?”

There was an awkward pause on the other end before the reply came calmly, “You…left it with us, after sending us a fluid sample.”

 _Oh…fuck._ Kaiba thought nervously, remembering that he had sent Atem’s semen sample to another private lab because he had been too embarrassed to have them run tests on it at his own lab.  
  
But he didn’t remember the lab having this strange foreign name?

He was sure he had sent it to a Japanese lab.

“I don’t know what game you’re playing, Mr. Kaiba,” the voice continued, now sounding slightly irritated. “Perhaps you have too much time and money on your hands, but we don’t appreciate being pranked.”

“What?” Kaiba breathed, thinking he was the one being pranked now. “What are you talking about?”

“You know exactly what I’m talking about,” the doctor said, now beginning to sound cold. “I don’t know how you managed to get such a large amount of dolphin sperm, but if you continue to send us samples of it, we will file a harassment claim.”

Kaiba’s mouth dropped open and grew weak at the knees.

_Dolphin sperm…?! WHAT?!_

“Thank you, and have a nice day,” the man said, and the phone clicked off in his ear.

Reeling with disbelief, Kaiba bent over his desk and rode out a dizzying wave of nausea washing over him for a moment.

Great. The nausea was back, and Atem was apparently a dolphin?!

 _Which means I’ve had dolphin cum in my ass?_ Kaiba spiraled wildly, feeling a delirious laugh threatening to explode from his chest.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a splash and a ripple beside the rock at the beach, and he jerked his head up, leaning over his desk to gaze out the window, just in time to see a second spear lying haphazardly in the sand.

Weird. Was Atem throwing spears at the rock for fun now?

Racing out of the house, Kaiba dashed onto the beach, his lungs burning strangely with each breath as he approached the silver spear on the ground.  
He turned around to inspect the water’s edge, seeing nothing and no one.

Weird?!

Kaiba whipped his head around to see what the spear had hit, and his blood ran cold with fury when he spotted the pieces of his surveillance camera scattered everywhere.

So this was why Atem hadn’t surfaced in two days? He had spotted the camera and thought it was offensive?

 _Alright fine, fine, there will be no more cameras,_ _Atem!_ Kaiba thought wildly, turning around to face the crashing waves lapping at the shore, and he waited for a response.

Nothing.

“I’ll get rid of the camera!” Kaiba said loudly, scanning the surface of the waves, listening for the tell-tale splash and the hint of a red tail, but there was no response.

It seemed Atem had left.

“Fine! Be that way!” Kaiba shouted, hearing his own voice echoing dully back at him up and down the empty beach. You better show your face tomorrow then!”

And with that, he stormed back into the house, deciding he would pick up the pieces of the camera later.

It was getting harder to breathe for some reason, and every beat of his heart was painful.

Cursing internally, Kaiba decided he would drink a third vial of scales before he went to bed tonight, because he was starting to feel sick again.

* * *

**Author’s note:**

Atem finds out the horrible truth about human life spans.  
Shada makes an appearance  
Kaiba gets a weird call and still feels sick.  

edited by: setokaibaes/marshmallons

see you next week for the next chapter!  
  
-ugli


	18. Chapter 18

Mana slowly popped her head above the surface, scanning the beach for any signs of humans.

All was quiet.

The sun beat down heavily across her shoulders, causing her skin to sting, so she sank beneath the waves again, dragging the sack of dead scales behind her.

Her fear rose higher the closer she got to shore, and she swallowed thinly.

This was all for Atem.  
It was her fault that Atem had been captured, so this was the least she could do.

Hooking the sack of sales into the hole carved out in the rock, Mana hovered under an incoming wave, listening for sounds of footsteps. Still nothing.

She raised her head slowly over the water again, spying a Human Residence sitting on the cliff’s edge and swam towards it. The tall windows were uncovered, and she could see right into the house.

No one was home.

Frowning, Mana kicked off the shallow shore beneath her and swam off. 

She was partially relieved, but also disappointed that the human wasn’t on shore.

This meant she would need to make more trips alone until she finally saw him in order to properly deliver Atem’s message.

* * *

Kaiba pried himself out of bed and shivered. His body was oddly cold, and there was a familiar bubble of nausea sitting low in his chest  
The bright afternoon sun streamed through his open windows and Kaiba cursed silently.

He had slept the morning away, and for some reason, Isono hadn’t come to wake him.

Rising to his feet unsteadily, Kaiba sat back down on the edge of his bed, feeling the skin on his legs ache.

Another mystery symptom?

Growling to himself, Kaiba dragged himself into the bathroom and stripped. He ran a palm down his leg while his heart pounded fearfully in his chest with a mixture of fear and curiosity.

His skin was so dry, it looked like the cracked surface of a dessert which had never seen rain.

He noticed the vein patterns sprawling over every inch of his skin which looked oddly transparent, very similar to freshly harvested scales.

 _Oh…shit_. Kaiba reeled, leaning against his bathroom counter as his head spun terribly.

Before he could compose himself, bile rose up this throat and he vomited heavily in the sink.

Furious, Kaiba braced himself against the edge of the counter and switched the water on, hating everything. His throat burned with a horrible sour aftertaste and he quickly splashed water onto his face after taking a few gulps.

He heard footsteps coming up the steps and predictably, Isono’s thoughts floated into his consciousness.

_“Master Kaiba…vomiting again. I’ll get him some medicine. He keeps refusing, so I will keep pushing. Perhaps I should call the doctor and spring a surprise visit on him. Mokuba could use a check-up too….”_

Taking deep, steady breaths, Kaiba shut his eyes and waited for the nausea to subside.

His entire body was mysteriously sore even though he had healed from the rough sex session a week ago. The most irritating pain was coming from the stinging and burning dryness on his legs.

Desperate for relief, Kaiba threw himself into the shower, making sure the water was at its coldest setting as he shivered under the lukewarm temperature.

The water bounced off his skin and didn’t help the dryness at all.

Growling, Kaiba faced the water and grabbed the soap. Slapping it onto his skin, he rubbed vigorously, mildly amazed at how the bubbles slid ride off his body and down the drain.

 _Fucking great_. Kaiba cursed again and stepped out without bothering to dry off with a towel.

If his skin had become hydrophobic, he didn’t really have a need to dry off.

He snatched his briefcase off the floor and thunked it heavily down onto his desk, prying it open and scanning the contents, searching for the blue jar of serum. Grabbing it quickly, Kaiba dipped four fingers into the clear liquid and smeared it down his leg without hesitation, and the relief was sudden.

It was as if his skin had taken a deep breath of air, and the aching dryness vanished.

Breathless with excitement at this new discovery, Kaiba continued to coat his legs with the serum, and Isono’s footsteps approached the door again, his thoughts louder than ever.

_“Should I knock, or just go in? Will he shout at me to leave? I really don’t enjoy Master Kaiba’s temper. A young man like him should learn some tact if he wants to keep a partner around…”_

“Come in!” Kaiba called irritably, not caring if his manservant was going to see him naked.

The door creaked open and Kaiba winced when Isono shouted with surprise in his mind.

_“OH! AH! He’s naked! Ah...I did not expect that…well, he’s…applying…cream? I’ll—I’ll put this by the door and leave.”_

Kaiba grit his teeth and finished applying the serum, hearing a rattling clink of Isono leaving the tray of coffee and medicine by the door before he ducked out quickly.

_“Young Master Kaiba has been behaving so strangely since coming into contact with the mythical creature….”_

“Oh, shut up, old man,” Kaiba muttered, capping the jar of serum and moving to his closet to get dressed.

Isono froze mid-step, shock rooting him to the spot when he heard Kaiba’s voice echoing through the front of his mind. W-Was he hearing things?

Kaiba draped his tie over his shoulders and tilted his head to the side, feeling an odd pang of confusion, coupled with another thought from Isono.

_I’m hearing things! Or did he say it through the door?_

Staring aghast at his own pale reflection, Kaiba blinked rapidly and wondered if he should mentally send a response back.

How was this happening? What was transmitting this?

Isono stood motionless in the middle of the grand staircase, listening intently, his hair slowly standing on end the longer the silence stretched. Perhaps he _had_ just been hearing things.

Kaiba squared his shoulders back and glared at his own reflection, thinking quickly, _“I need Isono to come back in here. Forgot to ask him how Mokuba’s lessons went yesterday.”_

Isono’s fingers slipped with sweat on the shiny banister as he heard Kaiba’s voice in his mind once again, this time loud and clear.

Footsteps echoed from the hallway underneath him, and Mokuba appeared at the bottom of the staircase with a laptop tucked under his arm.

The child glanced up at him strangely. “Isono?”

Isono nodded robotically, taking a hesitant step downwards, and the older Kaiba’s voice echoed in his mind for the third time. _“Goddammit Isono, come back in here. I know you can hear me.”_

Mokuba tilted his head curiously, watching Isono sweat visibly, turn pale, and then slowly walk back up the staircase very mechanically.

 _Weird._ Mokuba shrugged to himself, and raced off towards the entertainment lounge, eager to get some video gaming in before anyone could stop him.

Upstairs, still gripping his tie tightly, Kaiba had heard all of this.

Mokuba’s footsteps faded, and Isono’s heavy steps grew louder and louder, until they paused and were interrupted with the sharp click of the door being opened.

“M-Master Kaiba…” Isono said shakily, bowing forward deeply and staring intently at the tips of his slipper-covered toes.

Kaiba slowly turned to give Isono an appraising look, stating matter-of-factly, “So, you _can_ hear me.”

Straightening up quickly, Isono reached for his handkerchief and dabbed delicately at his forehead, stammering, “I-I’m not sure what I heard. Did you call for me?”

“No, I didn’t,” Kaiba said plainly, staring directly into Isono’s dark brown eyes and continuing the rest of his sentence in a thought. _“Answer me properly with a yes or a no. You can hear me talking to you, right now?”_

Isono trembled. Kaiba’s mouth did not move when he spoke, but instead, it was the voice in his head again.

 _“Yes or no?”_ Kaiba asked again impatiently, facing his own reflection again to resume tying his tie. _“I’m going to be late for work. Tell Mokuba that he’s not being sneaky, and that I know he’s downstairs playing a video game instead of reviewing for his high school entry exam.”_

Isono swallowed thinly, almost choking on his own saliva as he watched Kaiba pick his briefcase off the floor and brush past him.

Still unable to move, Isono watched the older Kaiba hurry down the grand staircase and disappear.

Letting out a stressed sigh, Isono wrung the handkerchief between his fingers.  
Yes.  
The answer was yes.  
If he wasn’t going mad, he could hear Kaiba loud and clear in his own mind.  
There was no mistaking it.

Was it…a new type of technology Kaiba was currently testing?  
Either way, that had been a terrifying and cruel surprise.

Kaiba sat stiffly in his car, listening intently to Isono’s faint thoughts.

So, it seemed there was a range, and even though his own manservant was scared shitless, so much that he was unable to answer verbally, he would make a great first test subject.

* * *

“Please…Solomon, please.” Atem floated anxiously behind the aging merman while he sat in a spongy library chair. “One visit to shore every decade. Unsupervised!”

“No,” the old man said plainly, turning a page and continuing to read. “We agreed one century with supervised Sun-Time, and that’ll be that.”

“But humans only live about eighty years!” Atem protested, his anger rising quickly, and he pressed hand down on the page Solomon was reading, intent on getting the old man’s attention. “He will die before I see him again.”

“You don’t need to see him again,” Solomon said loftily, yanking the book away from Atem’s hand and glancing back down at it again with a frown. “A young man like you should be perfecting your spearing techniques. You are not a warrior, so you don’t need to make unnecessary journeys to shore. Think about what your father would say.”

Atem fell silent for a moment, feeling his blood boil before he retaliated.

“My father would insist that I remain in the human’s good graces. If I just vanish without a trace, he will grow angry and think that I broke my pact with him.”

Solomon sighed heavily and shut his book with a snap. “My dearest king, the way you used your words in your pact has _saved_ you from seeing him. Don’t you see? We’ve decided that you no longer need to rise to shore for your duties. He is on shore; therefore, he is no longer a duty—"

“I _want_ to see him!” Atem interrupted angrily, resisting the urge to punch the old man in the face. “I haven’t been fooled. I love him freely.”

“And no one in this court approves,” Solomon answered shortly, sinking back into the chair and turning a page in the book. “Please excuse me, Atem. I need to brush up on my English.”

Biting his tongue in anger, Atem swam away slowly and decided that he would pay a visit to the mermaids in Confinement to help ease his mind. Perhaps together, they could scheme and come up with a way around this punishment.  
  
How did mermaids communicate with their men on shore? Atem vowed to find out.

* * *

Kaiba bent forward to inspect the rats and guinea pigs in each of their cages, all of them clamoring against the glass, their tiny nails clicking on the surface. He could hear all his lab workers’ uncertainties echoing in his mind.

 _I hate animal cruelty. I hope he won’t keep these here._  
  
_Live animal testing! I didn’t sign up for this! Was this in my contract?!_  
  
_Knowing this man, he’ll move up gradually and begin testing on larger animals._  
  
_Ah man, too bad I signed an NDA. This would make a great story._

Kaiba grit his teeth and straightened up, sweeping his gaze over his employee’s faces. Everyone somehow managed to avoid making eye contact every time he looked at them, and the silence was heavy in the air.

“I hear you, goddammit,” Kaiba growled, folding his arms across his chest. “I’ll take them back into my private lab. I don’t want anyone here touching these subjects. Your job here is to focus on the serum.”

Several faces paled and many pairs of eyes widened as their frantic thoughts filled Kaiba’s mind.

 _I didn’t say anything! It wasn’t me!_  
  
_Oh crap! Who said something?! What did he hear?_

 _Thank god! I don’t have to quit after all._  
  
Man, at least I can go home and tell my wife about this crazy shit.

There was another long, awkward silence before Kaiba turned and walked towards the exit, hearing audible sighs of relief behind him as the doors slid shut, accompanied by several jumbled thoughts.

 _Does he behave like this at home?! No wonder he’s single._  
  
_So much silence. My heart can’t take it. It’s like he can read thoughts._  
  
_I need to hurry up and birth this baby so I can go on my maternity leave. I need a break from being pregnant, and I need a break from this man._

Pressing his hands to his face, Kaiba shut his eyes and forced himself to take several deep breaths.

Hearing people’s thoughts constantly was becoming unbearable.  
Nothing was private anymore.  
His own privacy was violated when other’s thoughts interrupted his own musings.

If he was at home, it was Isono or Mokuba’s thoughts, either about themselves or something mundane happening in their lives.

If he was at work, he was at the mercy of his secretary’s rapid-fire wedding woes and his lab worker’s private opinions.

 _How do the fish people fucking live like this?!_ Kaiba reeled, stepping unsteadily out of the elevator and standing at the far end of the office space, trying to avoid the front desk where his secretary was already sitting.

“Mr. Kaiba! Good morning!” she said happily, bowing quickly and standing at attention beside her desk with a beaming smile.

Her thoughts came raining in, and Kaiba strode by her frantically without a hello, and slammed the door to his office, locking himself inside, desperate for peace and quiet.

_Oghhh weirdo! He didn’t even smile or look at me in the eye this time! He’s seriously bi-polar oh my god.  
Oh! Tsukiya sent me a lovey-lovey email! HOW SWEET! Oh my darling...I want to take you out to dinner tonight AW YAY!! …please wear…_

“Fuck me!” Kaiba shouted, resisting the urge to bang his head on the wall. To his supreme annoyance, her worried thoughts invaded his mind once more.

 _Oh my god. Is he okay?! What is he throwing a tantrum about now?_  
_Did he lose a save? It’s probably that._  
_He’s always yelling in there by himself._  
_Does he think I can’t hear him?_  
_I mean, he acts like I’m not here anyway…I’m basically the phone picker-upper and the apologizer of all the things he does wrong when he offends someone. Oh! Right, crap! I have to remind him about a meeting with an American businessman today._

A soft knock sounded at the door and Kaiba sighed deeply, sinking to the floor.

He leaned his head back against the wall and pressed his hands against his face, not caring how uncomposed he looked.

He hadn’t seen Atem in nearly a week, and other people’s thoughts were slowly killing him.  
On top of that, his sense of smell, sight, and hearing had somehow sharpened, and he was able to hear Isono starting the car outside in the mornings, even though the garage was at least a mile away.

A soft knock sounded at the door again, followed by a click and soft footsteps.

Kaiba heard a soft gasp and a slight headache started coming on after more of her thoughts flooded into his consciousness.

“Mr. Kaiba! Are you okay?! I’m so…”

_OH MY GOD HE IS NOT OKAY! Is he having a crisis?! He looks…scary! Scary tired! Was he crying? Is this a breakdown? Do I need to call a doctor?_

Kaiba slowly lifted his head and gazed up at her. She was kneeling beside him with her brow furrowed in genuine concern.

He gazed steadily into her soft brown eyes for a moment before managing to crack a weak smile. “Want to go to lunch?”

Blinking rapidly, she sounded taken aback by this suggestion. “Uh-it’s…it’s 9 AM Mr.Kaiba. Are you…hungry? Did you…”

 _IS THIS GUY INSANE?! Wait, is he hitting on me?! Why is he asking me out to LUNCH when it’s breakfast time? Aggggghhh I wanna go to lunch with him!_  
Tsukiya doesn’t have to know. He’ll get really mad and jealous.  
He’s always thinking Seto Kaiba is a ‘playboy motherfucker’ ahhaahhahahaaa if only he knew…..

“You can tell your future husband that I like men,” Kaiba said viciously, slowly regaining his composure while her face grew paler and paler with every passing second. “Let’s do breakfast then. I don’t care. Just anywhere but here.”

“I….” She gaped at him with her mouth hanging open, and she remained on her knees long after Kaiba managed to stand.

 _Future husband?! He knows!!_  
_How does he know I’m engaged?_  
_How does he know?! I’ve been extremely private!_  
_AGH DOES HE STALK MY SOCIALS?!?! MY INSTAGRAM?!?!_  
_Cuz it’s filled with pictures of my dear Noodles, and I don’t mention Tsukiya in any of it!_

“We’re going to go somewhere…that serves…salad, and nothing that can talk back to me on the plate,” Kaiba said stiffly, not wanting to find out if any of his new fish powers included hearing animals.

His secretary threw him the oddest look and shook her head slowly, declining.

“I think…perhaps you need a hospital, Mr.Kaiba.” She said politely, bowing stiffly again, and her mind was eerily silent.  
  
Kaiba understood that whenever silence happened after a sentence, it was a heartfelt statement.

“Yeah, no thanks.” Kaiba scoffed, straightening his tie haughtily and checking his own reflection in the full-length mirror behind his desk. “No doctor can fix what I have, and even then, I don’t need that kind of doctor.”

She blinked rapidly and remained silent while her thoughts spoke loudly.

_What is he going on about?! He IS crazy! People always said he was crazy, and he just never talked to me properly, but now we are talking, I can’t. Understand. Anything._

“You can go back to your desk if you think I’m crazy,” Kaiba said venomously, echoing her thoughts exactly, intending on shaking her, but it seemed to have the opposite effect.

 _Wow, he’s aware!_ _That’s great!_ She thought cheerily, and somehow managed another sympathetic smile while saying, “We’re all a little bit crazy, Mr. Kaiba. Just find the right person to help you, and I’m sure you’ll figure it out!”

Kaiba narrowed his eyes at her and watched her bow swiftly before making a hasty exit, her thoughts trailing after her faintly.

_Whew! Avoided a “lunch date” with him kyahahaha!! ….Ooh I can’t wait to text Ueda-san about this! Tsukiya must never know…._

Grinding his teeth tightly, Kaiba slowly sat down behind his desk and realized that she had given him some very good advice.

He needed to find the right person to help.  
Who the fuck would that be, that wasn’t a person who had a fin for legs?

 _A professor of mythology?_ Kaiba mused, his spirits lifting as he pried open his laptop and hastily typed in the search bar.

His results that popped up were numerous, showing results for accredited professors at universities all over the country.

How the fuck could he narrow this process down? They couldn’t all possibly help, even if they were all knowledgeable.  
Which ones would go to the media and claim he was crazy?  
Which ones would turn him away and call him insane for having caught, conversed, and made love with a merman?

Browsing through all the profiles, one photo caught his eye.

It was a professor from R University located two hours away, and the name was unreadable, because it was foreign, but the man in the photo looked very similar to Atem and Mahad.

He had the same chocolate skin tone, dark-lined eyes, and startling long white hair.  But his face looked youthful, and Kaiba was positive that in-person, this man’s eyes would be violet too, because they were an unusual shade of grey in the photograph.

Excited, Kaiba reached for the phone and eyed the English written under the man’s photo, squinting at it and trying to read it again.  
Marik Ishtar.  
Why did that sound oddly familiar and where had he heard that name before?

Indifferent, Kaiba dialed the number and expected no one to pick up, but to his surprise, the phone was answered on the first ring by a gentle voice.

“Hello, this is Professor Ishtar. My office hours are ending soon, so perhaps we could—”

Kaiba slammed the phone down frantically and his heart pounded rapidly in his chest while he glared at it, finally remembering where he had heard that name before.

It was also on the phone, last week.  
  
Didn’t this man call him posing as someone from a family planning clinic claiming Atem’s sperm had been dolphin sperm?!

Kaiba jumped when his phone rang again, and he stared at the blinking orange light, deeply relieved that it was coming from the front desk.

He picked it up, and his secretary’s voice was a welcome change. “Mr. Kaiba, the meeting you had with Mr. Rath this afternoon has been moved. He wants to meet at his offices instead. I told him you’d be there. Same time, different location.”

“Thanks,” Kaiba said carelessly, and he set the phone down quickly, trying to calm himself down.  
This Marik Ishtar guy was definitely suspicious.  
Was he walking merman too?  
Also, was he being close minded by thinking every dark-skinned foreigner in Japan could potentially be a walking merman? But the likeness was too similar to ignore!  
  
This Marik Ishtar guy had also called his personal number somehow, regarding the semen samples. There had to be a connection. Maybe this guy was his way to the secrets of Atem and his world.

The phone rang again and Kaiba rolled his eyes, picking it up quickly, “What?”

“Ah, Mr. Kaiba. Marik Ishtar, at your service. It seems you have found me. Touché.”

Kaiba felt his stomach drop to his feet with dread. Crap. The guy had called back! Why the fuck didn’t he look at the caller ID before picking up?

“Stop lying to me about who you are,” Kaiba said through gritted teeth, feeling a rush of anger. “When is your next availability?”

There was a brief silence on the other end before an answer came.

“I haven’t been lying at all. I am indeed a professor here at this establishment. I am also a doctor at a nearby hospital.”

“Yeah I don’t give a shit,” Kaiba interrupted rudely, knowing that these merpeople somehow managed to fake paper trails that could fool any law enforcement. “I know you lied to me about the samples I sent you, and I want the truth. Did you intercept my shipment to the lab somehow? I’ll have you know that’s a crime.”

Another long silence.

“Very well. Tonight, perhaps? Come by my office around 8?”

“You’d better be there,” Kaiba hissed, and he slammed the phone down onto its receiver, desperately hoping he had been the one who had hung up first.  
Whoever this guy was, he was annoying.

His secretary’s thoughts were also getting louder and louder through the wall.

 _Oh noooo! He’s gonna be late! Why isn’t he coming out yet?_  
_The phone was on. He’s on the phone._  
_It takes an hour to get to the other guy’s office!_  
_Kaiba better leave now if he wants to get there on time!_  
_Should I remind him again? The phone is off now…_

Growling, Kaiba grabbed his briefcase and slipped his laptop inside it before snapping it shut.  First, he had to get through the work day, then deal with the Marik Ishtar guy.

What a full fucking day.

* * *

Isis swam rapidly through the palace hallways, frantically sending out thought waves.

_Court gathering! An emergency! Please gather quickly, now!_

Mana heard this as Isis passed her door and she froze anxiously.  
Oh no. Atem was in Confinement visiting with mermaids.  
He wasn’t going to be present for this emergency. Was it regarding the human, Seto Kaiba?

Diving out of her room, Mana zoomed right into Mahad’s bare back, and she squeaked nervously, blushing with embarrassment.

“S-Sorry, didn’t see you,” she mumbled, and Mahad gave her a kind smile, offering her his hand.

“We’ll go together, Mana. We’ve been having quite a few emergencies lately. I understand how you feel.”

Mana gripped Mahad’s hand tightly and allowed him to lead her gently through the main hallway and into the throne room where everyone was already waiting.

“Another emergency.” Shadi growled, folding his arms across his chest with a look of disdain across his face. “Who has been captured now? I hope it was that fool, Rex. Let’s leave him to die.”

“No one has been captured,” Isis said wearily, tossing her long black hair over her shoulder with a sigh. “I’ve received a message from my brother.”

“Your half-brother, Marik?” Shada said, scratching his bald head and glancing around at everyone’s faces, seeing grim frowns. “What happened to him?”

“Her half- _human_ …half-brother,” Shadi sneered, rolling his eyes. “Sometimes I wonder why it wasn’t you that grew a pair of legs, Isis.”

“Be respectful, Advisor. Your hate for humans is unreasonable,” Solomon glared, his fist tightening over his staff. “Where is Atem? No. Don’t tell me. I know. Confinement, right?”

All eyes fell on Mana and she nodded weakly, gripping tightly onto Mahad’s warm hand for support. Unable to speak, Mana answered with a thought.

_‘Yes, he left a while ago with a Stealthsman accompanying him.’_

“Never mind Atem.” Isis said testily, waving a hand carelessly over her nose. “This concerns him anyway, which is why we need to discuss it without him.”

“Oh great,” Shadi muttered, and Isis talked steadily over him

“I’ve received a message from Marik. The human Seto Kaiba managed to obtain Atem’s semen, and he sent it to a lab for testing.”

Horrified gasps echoed through the throne room and Mana felt her blood run cold. So it was true after all.  
Atem did mate with Seto Kaiba, otherwise, how else could the human have gotten his hands on his semen?

“Marik managed to steal the sample and contact Seto Kaiba, telling him it was dolphin sperm and disposed of it, but Seto Kaiba is not easily fooled. They are meeting tonight, and I fear for Marik’s safety.”

“Why? He has no fins,” Shada mused, sounding completely unfazed. “Let Seto Kaiba poke and prod all he wants. He can’t do much. That human is very curious.”

“Dangerous is the word I would use,” Solomon said seriously, his long white hair swishing gently in the water behind him. “Curiosity leads to our endangerment. Good thing Atem bound him with a pact. He’s a good boy at heart, even now, he believes he deserves time in Confinement.”

“How do I protect Marik? ...Mahad?” Isis turned to Mahad for help, wondering if the warrior would walk on shore again to defend her brother, but to her dismay, Mahad shook his head sadly.

“This is not a grave emergency. I’ve already been to the Chrysalis twice this moon cycle, and both times it was for Atem. The guards are strict with their rules. Also, Marik is considered human by our kind. I don’t know of a way to help him.”

There was a tense silence and Isis nodded sadly.

“As I thought. Well, I’ll send him a message back, telling him that we know, but cannot help.”

“And if anything happens to him, I’ll be the first to go up there and avenge him,” Shadi said coldly, shaking his head. “I can’t recall a time when a human has caused us this much grief.”

“I can,” Solomon said deeply, beginning to float away. “This is not the worst a human can do from shore, believe me. This Seto Kaiba is not as bad as his predecessor, Gozaburo Kaiba. Now that man is a murderer. I‘m glad he’s dead.”

“He comes from a line of murderers?!” Shadi cried, and everyone made similar noises of shock. “Why is this my first time hearing this?”

“Indeed!” Mahad chimed in, shivering when he wondered why he had not been informed of this when he had gone up to make a deal with Seto Kaiba.

“Because Atem’s father did a good job of stifling the matter two decades ago while this court was still young at the time,” Solomon said loftily, regretting ever having said anything in the first place. “Gozaburo Kaiba was the last crisis the previous court had to deal with before retiring. Now, excuse me. I feel _I_ should retire.”

The old merman swam off, muttering angrily to himself, leaving everyone behind him in a stunned silence.

“Well, his actions of forcing Atem to mate does make a lot more sense now,” Mahad growled, his blood boiling.  
His initial thoughts about the human had been correct.  
It made sense now, why every aspect of their meeting on shore had seemed off, because Kaiba had held all the cards, while he had been strung along like a dead fish on a hook.

“Don’t blame yourself, Warrior,” Shada said sympathetically. “I deal with humans all the time, and honestly, that is normal.”

“Disgusting,” Shadi stated, before swimming off in an angry huff.

Mana gave Mahad’s hand a quick squeeze before leaving as well. She was going to wait in her room and recite the entire meeting to Atem when he came back from his visit.

* * *

Kaiba sat stiffly on the white leather couch in the empty waiting room with his legs tightly crossed.

He had arrived at this man’s office ten minutes late but was somehow being sequestered in the waiting room because the meeting before him was still in session.

 _Maybe I should look over the notes_ , Kaiba thought wearily to himself, but he couldn’t bring himself to reach into his briefcase.  
The peace and quiet was golden.

Sighing happily, Kaiba leaned back into the seat and dared to close his eyes.

The meeting rooms were two entire floors above, and there was no one on this floor. Not even a receptionist. That had been on the floor below. This was a recreational breakroom of sorts.

 _I need a room like this_ , Kaiba thought venomously, already thinking about what renovations he could afford to make in the building he was currently in.

Content, Kaiba crossed his arms too and made himself comfortable in the chair.  
  
Peace and quiet. At long fucking last.

Everything was silent, except for the low hum of the air conditioner, and the odd quiet whispers floating through his ears.

_Look at this man, look at this man. Yes yes, he is quite the victim. Indeed indeed. I almost feel bad for him…bad for him…_

Kaiba’s eyes shot open and he stared right up at the tall, white ceiling, seeing the large chandelier above him.  
_Who the fuck_ was that? And what. And why.

Holding his breath and unable to move, Kaiba didn’t blink. He listened sharply, and the whispers continued.

_But he does look like all the others. Yes, all the others. All the others before him._

_A warning?_ Kaiba thought, feeling terror slowly trickling through his body.  
What the fuck was this voice?!

The most unnerving thing was that it didn’t sound human.  
In fact, it was several voices, overlapping, all chanting the same sentence.

_Is he asleep? Is he asleep? So relaxed, indeed so very brave of him to sleep in such a place. How long do you think he’ll last? I don’t know, I don’t know, I don’t know…._

Slowly sitting up straight, Kaiba scanned the entire room. There was no one around.

And then, he spotted it.

A large glass fish tank built into one of the building’s pillars, with many brilliant multicolored fish swimming in a magnificent pattern around and around in the giant glass tube.

 _Oh fucking shit,_ Kaiba thought as he sat rooted to the spot, numb with shock.

He could hear fish talk.

_He’s looking right at us. Yes, yes he is. He’ll come over here soon to look at us, and tap at the glass, no, no that would be bad. Everyone before him was forced to wait, wait, wait…._

Furious, Kaiba rose to his feet and strode over to the tank, intent on giving everyone there a piece of his mind.

“Shut…up!” Kaiba hissed, approaching the glass and glaring at the swirl of fish, not caring how crazy he looked to anyone coming to fetch him.

To his ultimate surprise, the entire school of fish paused in their circular motions and all turned to face him, their flat round eyes shining eerily in the bright lights.

_He speaks! He speaks to us! Amazing! Incredible! Can he free us from this eternal prison? Can he free us? Free us! Free us! Free us!_

“Shut up, or I’ll punch the glass,” Kaiba said steadily, his eyes darting up and down the entire pole-like tank, impressed that it was a water feature built into the wall. It must have cost a fortune.

_He sounds rude! How rude! Rude! Rude! Rude! Rude!_

And the chanting increased tenfold as the fish resumed swimming in their circular pattern.

_Rude! Rude! Rude! Rude! Rude! Rude!_

“Mr. Kaiba! Welcome!”

_Rude! Rude! Rude! Rude! Rude! Rude!_

Kaiba rearranged his face into the most neutral expression he could muster, and he turned around to greet the person who had spoken behind him.  
  
The man’s thoughts mingled terribly with the fish in the tank.

_Rude! Rude! Ah, Rude! Handsome Rude! Up close Rude! Too, I see. Rude! Rude! Rude!_

His rival business associate bowed stiffly, his blonde hair swishing downwards quickly over his brow as he straightened up with a million-watt smile.

 _Rude! Rude! Rude!_ “I hope I didn’t make you wait too long. My last meeting ran long…” _Rude!_

He held his hand out for a shake, and Kaiba stepped forward, automatically reaching for it.

_Rude! Rude! Rude! Rude! Rude! Rude!_

“No problem,” Kaiba managed through gritted teeth, and to his relief, the fish began speaking normally again.

_A handshake, so it begins, begins, it begins…_

“Let’s speak in my office,” the man said, and Kaiba shook his head swiftly, ready with an answer.

“Let’s talk here. I like the _fish_ …and the _quiet_.” Kaiba emphasized, praying with all his might that the stupid hoard of fish behind him would understand. “We can help each other, can’t we?”

The fish had to understand he was talking directly to them.

“Ah, yes, of course! That’s why we’re here!” The businessman said genially, letting out a laugh and taking a seat casually after unbuttoning his blazer with a swift motion. “Please, sit!”

Kaiba nodded stiffly and willed himself to remain calm as he listened to the barrage of thoughts flowing through his mind.

_Perhaps I should get him a drink. What does Seto Kaiba drink, I wonder._

_Do our ears deceive us? Rude Man wants to help! Free us! Free us! Free us! We will help, we will help!_

Kaiba sat down stiffly and crossed his legs, seeing the man’s mouth move, but his thoughts were clearer.

_…He would look so nice…wearing something else…._

_Don’t accept a drink! Don’t accept a drink! Leave here quickly and free us, free us, free us!_

“Well?” The businessman said, leaning forward expectantly with a smile. “I take you for a hard liquor type of man.”

“I only drink when the day ends,” Kaiba said automatically, and he pointed at the fish tank over his shoulder with a slender finger. “How much did those things cost? I want one for myself.”

_He will free us! Free us! Free us! Free us! Free us!_

“You and everyone else,” the man answered with a gleaming smile. “My water feature is built by a private architect. A friend of mine. I’ll give you the name… _if_ our deal goes well. I want my restaurants in your theme park, Mr. Kaiba. The more the better.”

The fish began chanting eerily again.

_Murderer! Murderer! Murderer! Murderer!_

“I only have room for one,” Kaiba said testily, folding his arms across his chest and noticed the man’s smile faltering. “What did you have in mind?”

“Ah, whatever the kids like,” the man said carelessly, shifting in his seat. “I’m thinking fish and chips? That’ll be an interesting menu choice, won’t it?”

_Murderer! Murderer! Murderer! Murderer! Murderer! Murderer! Murderer! Murderer! Murderer! Murderer! Murderer! Murderer!_

“Ah.” Kaiba said plainly, unable to find another way to get the fish to shut up. “I understand. Well, that’s not a healthy option. There are already four other restaurants serving fried foods.”

There was a brief pause, before the man rose to his feet with another stiff smile while he spoke. “Please. Let me get you a drink.”

Poison! _Murderer!_ Poison! _Murderer!_ Poison! _Murderer!_

“No thanks. I won’t drink your poison,” Kaiba said casually, flashing the man an equally bright smile, and he saw the man’s expression darken in an instant.

“I don’t like what you’re suggesting, Mr. Kaiba,” his rival said icily, his eyes narrowed threateningly. “I’m offering the best liquor I have.”

_Hurrah! Rude Man is rude! Rude Man is winning! Rude Man is rude! Rude! Rude! Rude! Rude!_

“I’m joking. Take a joke,” Kaiba said, keeping the grin plastered on his face while he also rose to his feet.  
The meeting was over. He was done wasting his time here…if the fish were to be trusted.

“I don’t like how informal you’re being,” the man said bluntly, gesturing towards the door. “Come, let’s talk in my office.”

Kaiba blinked and waited for the fish to say something. There was nothing but an eerie silence.

Come on. Why weren’t they saying anything? Apparently, people who went into this man’s office became ‘victims’. Of what? Did he really have to ask? These fish were idiotic. Why was he risking a high-profile deal on what some fucking fish were saying?

“Well, what happens in your office?” Kaiba asked lightly, doing his best to keep his tone light, and he was met with a stream of hostile thoughts from the man while the fish remained stubbornly silent.

_I’ve heard things about this Kaiba, and he really is strange. So hard to deal with. But I need him to cooperate. Why the fuck won’t he drink anything or agree to meet me in a more private setting? After drugging him just enough, he’ll sign anything, and maybe do a little more…._

“Oh.” Kaiba said, unable to keep the shock off his own face, and he turned to give the fish behind him a look, hearing them laughing at him while they continued to swim in a lazy circle.

_Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha._

“Mr. Kaiba?” The man frowned and stepped in front of him, blocking his view of the tank. “You really like my fish that much?”

“Yeah, they…” Kaiba saw the fish swim higher and higher, almost reaching the very top of the pillar as they continued to laugh and chant.

_We hate him! We hate him! Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha. Monster! Murderer! Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha. Murderer! Monster! Murderer! Monster! Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha._

The man looked up too and his jaw dropped open, seeing the fish swirling beautifully up along the entire pillar.

“Wow! Are they doing tricks today? I’ve never seen them do that!” He stepped back to admire them with awe, and Kaiba felt himself sweat.

 _Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha . We’re dancing! We’re happy! Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha. We’ve foiled him today! Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha. Murderer! Monster! Murderer! Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha._  
Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha.  
Tell him. TELL HIM! TELL HIM! Rude Man, tell him! Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha.

“They want me to tell you something,” Kaiba said, biting back a laugh, and the man snapped back to reality with sharp, piercing eyes.

_Ha. Ha. Tell him! Tell him! Tell him! Ha. Ha._

“You can talk to my fish?” His business rival threw his head back with a laugh and nodded encouragingly. “Go ahead. What are they saying Mr. Kaiba?”

_This crazy motherfucker. I’m humoring him…._

“They’re saying…you drug people’s drinks, get them to sign bad deals, and you walk away the winner,” Kaiba said bluntly, bending down and picking his briefcase up from the nearby table and began walking away. “Either way, you’re blacklisted. Don’t contact me or anyone from my company again.”

The man swelled with rage but Kaiba barely noticed, because he was already halfway in the elevator, with the fish’s triumphant laughter ringing in his ears.

  _Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha. Not today, Murder! Not today! Foiled by our savior, the Rude Man! The Rude Man! All hail the Rude Man! Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha._

“All hail,” Kaiba repeated dully, wondering if the fish could hear him, and he leaned against the back of the elevator railing, realizing he was drenched in cold sweat.

That had been a horrifyingly stressful ordeal. The fish chanting was the most unnerving and distressing thing he had ever experienced so far.

Being boiled alive in the shower was preferable to hearing their many voices over and over again in his head.

Shaking himself stiffly, Kaiba forced himself to remain composed. There were cameras in the elevators here. He would not crack, not here.

He still had one more hurdle to clear before throwing himself into Atem’s arms at the end of the day.

The mysterious Marik Ishtar.

* * *

**Author’s note:**

Mana tries to make contact but no one was on shore.  
Kaiba harnesses his fish powers and terrifies isono + random business rival  
Atem still nowhere to be seen but they’re both so preoccupied, wonder when they’ll start noticing they’re missing each other?

Leave a review!

Please also enjoy [this wonderful merman art done by Venom!](https://uglifish.tumblr.com/post/186636840269/venom-for-free-art-mermay-is-over-but-that-didnt)

You can find more fanart for my stories on my blog tagged under [[https://uglifish.tumblr.com/tagged/fanartgallery]](https://uglifish.tumblr.com/tagged/fanartgallery)

edited by: setokaibaes/marshmallons

-Ugli


	19. Chapter 19

Atem sat on the floor of Mai and Anzu’s grotto, doing his best to stay composed while he talked.

Both women listened intently, their expressions morphing from shock, disbelief, and then sorrow as he told them about his century-long ban from shore.

After he finished speaking, Atem took a deep shuddering breath and pressed his hands to his face while the two mermaids stared at him in silence.

“Well…its only a century.” Mai ventured carefully, trying to be reassuring. “You can resurface and…see his children. Some human genes are amazing. They can give birth to identical twins—"

“Mai, that’s not what he wants to hear right now.” Anzu reprimanded softly, moving to sit beside Atem in her usual spot on the floor. “Feel better, okay? Don’t worry. He’ll remember you fondly. Did you tell him not to wait for you?”

Atem bit the inside of his cheek and shook his head miserably. “I told him I would be there every day. It’s been four days now, almost five. I can’t imagine what he must be thinking. He might think I betrayed him.”

“But you told him _not to wait for you_ …right?” Mai asked again, sitting up straighter with a grim look on her face. “You told him he should live his life, right?”

Atem met her gaze glumly and shook his head, speaking with a heavy heart.  
  
“During our last meeting, I told him angrily that he couldn’t replace me, not with an object, and certainly not with another human.”

Both mermaids gasped and groaned dramatically, pressing their hands to their foreheads, and Atem looked between them with rising panic.

“What?!” He cried defensively, “He’s mine, so he should behave that way.”

 “Oh…Atem,” Anzu whispered, her face beet red as she buried them in her hands again, muffling her voice. “If you say things like that, the human will die waiting for you.”

“You can’t talk to him like he’s your Mate for life,” Mai smiled sadly, shaking her head. “You do realize there’s an entire ocean between you and him!”

“The only reason my court has an issue with it is because they want me to produce an heir.” Atem said angrily, curling his fists. “What if I do produce an heir, and they’ll let me do as I please?”

“I don’t think your egg-bearer would be very happy with that.” Anzu said knowingly. “Think about how you would feel if someone came by and asked if you would carry their egg while they swim off to play with a human on shore.”

Atem folded his arms defiantly, hating that he felt disgruntled. “Well I wouldn’t appreciate that. Egg-bearing is painful and hard work.”

“Exactly.” Mai said, nodding. “That would reflect badly on you as a Mate for the next few centuries as your hatching matures. Your hatchling would be made fun of too, for having a shore-loving father.”

“Next topic.” Atem said coldly, hating where the conversation was going. “I want to know how I can communicate with him while I’m down here. Can you help me? How do you send messages to humans? I sent Mana up with my earrings, but she’s terrified of every journey.”

The mermaids shared a sad look and Atem’s heart sank quickly.

There was no way to communicate.

“Aside from sending…small gifts to and from shore, at the risk of all your friends who are willing to help you…” Anzu said tentatively, her eyes welling with tears of sympathy. “No, sadly. We haven’t found a way. No one has. That’s why some mermaids are confined here in groups. We all helped each other send messages.”

“Yeah, better not let your girl get caught,” Mai said solemnly, “or she’ll be down here with us too, even if she’s a member of your court. Guilty by association. She must really love you to want to help you though. You have a good friend.”

“And I’m afraid you must leave soon,” Anzu said tearfully, giving his hand a warm squeeze. “I’ve been keeping time.”

“If you can send one last message, it should be this,” Mai said seriously, looking Atem deep into his angular violet eyes. “‘ _Don’t kill yourself, and don’t die on the shore waiting for me’_. Honestly, that’ll be the only way to ensure your human doesn’t die a painful death. Other humans might find the body on the beach, and it’s—”

“It’s not pretty.” Anzu said instantly, cutting across Mai, sounding rushed. “Read about Human Decay and aging. If you love him like a Mate, you’ll understand after reading about it. Now you need to leave, or you’ll start feeling sick.”

Atem shook his head, his chest still bursting with more questions.

“Read the mer-editions, not the human books.” Mai added, getting up from the couch and swimming lazily over to the kelp curtain and pulling it open. “Stop reading human books. They won’t help you much if you’re not a warrior.”

Atem nodded solemnly and let Anzu gently push him out of the grotto entrance.

“Safe travels, my king.” Anzu said quietly, managing a sad but friendly smile. “You’re welcome back any time. Keep us informed.”

Atem nodded again, his voice catching terribly in his throat with sorrow.  
He turned away and beat his tail to power upwards quickly, seeing the tiny dot of the palace guard waiting for him at the surface near the edge of the fissure.

Well perhaps it was a tiny blessing that Mana had not yet seen Seto Kaiba. There was more to add to the message, and Atem curled his fists at his sides in frustration.

There had to be another way to communicate with Seto Kaiba.  
There had to be. He would find it.

* * *

Kaiba gripped the steering wheel lightly and cruised down the freeway, growling in annoyance when he saw a cluster of cars in his way.

He grabbed the gear shift and the engine roared angrily at him as he slowed. Drifting quickly to the right, Kaiba changed lanes, and suddenly, a car zoomed by too fast from behind, passing him by on the right, almost hitting him.  
  
There was a sharp _tack!_ and Kaiba glanced over at the door mirror, horrified to see that it had been taken off completely.  
  
All that was left was a stub of metal and a couple of stray wires.

That _lunatic!_

Letting out a furious yell, Kaiba stamped his foot down on the pedal and weaved dangerously though the slow cars, intent on finding the car that had destroyed his door mirror.

He curled his fingertips tightly over the leather gear shift, cursing the other driver in his mind as he eyed a pair of red headlights in front of him. He sped up to weave around it and didn’t see any damage on the side of their body.

Hissing angrily, Kaiba slowly down again, his heart pounding tightly in his chest when he realized he had probably lost the car forever, and one of his mirrors was probably littered on the side of the road a few miles back.

Livid, Kaiba gripped the wheel and eased the car off the freeway, ignoring the GPS telling him to continue, and parked in the first commercial lot that was available.

Slamming the door behind him as he got out, Kaiba circled his car methodically, checking it for other scratches and damages. There was a long black streak of paint missing from the entire door.

Kaiba bit back another angry yell. The paint was ruined. The mirror needed to be replaced, and the perpetrator was nowhere to be found.

Placing his palms down on either side of his car, Kaiba shut his eyes and breathed deeply. _Calm. Stay calm._ He could tell Atem all about this later. Maybe he could murder the guy and feed his intestines to some of Atem’s shark friends, if he had any.

 _Calm. Stay calm._ _Oh god! I hit a someone’s car! Oh god…what do I do? He looked like he had a lot of money! It was a hit-and-run because I didn’t stop!_

Kaiba opened his eyes and grinned manically to himself.  
These mind-reading powers were good for something after all.

Straightening up slowly, Kaiba surveyed the area with a shrewd glare. This was a parking lot of a business building with a lone convenience store attached to the side.

A man was smoking on the corner, siting on the curb with his head in his hands, and cigarette ash was falling dangerously onto his shoulder while it hung from his shaking fingers.

_Oh god. My wife is going to kill me. She’s going to be so upset. She’ll divorce me…._

_Found you!_ Kaiba let his breath out in a slow hiss and stalked over to the man, towering over him from behind and resisting to give him a strong kick.

“Hey, lunatic!” Kaiba said angrily, seeing the man jump and turn to give him a terrified look over his shoulder. “What the fuck is in your head when you’re driving?!”

The man dropped his cigarette in fear and fell to his knees in a frantic apology. “I’m sorry! I was on the phone! I wasn’t paying attention! It was all my fault!”

“Yeah, it fucking is.” Kaiba said furiously, pleased to see the man’s forehead touch the ground, and he wanted to stamp his foot down on the back of the man’s head, making sure it stayed there.

“I can…I’ll pay it! I’m very sorry!” The man whimpered, tentatively lifting his head to peek and Kaiba’s face before he ducked his head back down, the tips of his ears dark red.  
  
_Oh god. Oh god. OH GOD. IS THIS SETO KAIBA?! I’m screwed I’m screwed I’m screwed kill me now kill me kill me please…._

There was a soft jingle of the convenience store doorbell as the sliding doors opened, and Kaiba heard a stray thought _‘a fight?!’_ before footsteps rushed forward, and a greying man dashed past him to help the man to his feet.

 “What happened? Are you okay?” The old man cried, glancing frantically at Kaiba’s angry stance and at his employee who was shaking his head, pushing him away and insisting he stay on the ground.

_What is happening? Hayashi-san’s friend perhaps? Young men these days sure like to fight…_

“He hit my car, and I’m going to kill him now.” Kaiba raged, pleased to see the man sink willingly to his knees again, shaking his head miserably. “I can pay for the repairs myself, but I want you to know that you’re a dead man.”

 _I’m dead, I’m dead. I am dirt…_ The man chanted, gripping his knees tightly with his head bowed, and the old man gave Kaiba a look of disgust.

“Then leave him alone!” The old man cried, pointing at Kaiba’s bright blue supercar in the lot. “And park in a spot, not in the middle of the road, then perhaps you won’t be hit as often.”

_Ahhhh…we’re both dead…thank god for this old man._

_This is Seto Kaiba, I’m sure of it. There is nothing he can do to us. We’re too poor for him to bother with. He’ll leave us alone after I defend Hayashi-san. Poor fellow just wants to settle down and have a child…_

Kaiba gave them both nasty looks before he stalked off towards his car, still fuming.

This was his favorite car. It wasn’t irreplaceable, but why did other people have to suck so much sometimes?

To his increasing annoyance, a motorbike was parked in the spot directly behind him, and it was blocking his way.

Another person to yell at.

Circling the car, Kaiba skidded to a halt when he saw a man with long white hair peering intrusively into his car, and his thoughts were very strange.

_Looks like a wild animal attack._

“Get away from my car.” Kaiba hissed through gritted teeth, thoroughly fed up with strangers for the day.

The man jumped and took several steps back, his violet eyes wide with surprise. “Ah…sorry about that. I was just passing by. I love cars…”

Numb with shock, Kaiba stared at the stranger, taking in his oddly flashy clothes, the slender pointed earrings hanging from his ears, and his tanned complexion.  
His skin was taut and youthful, and his eyes were almost the same shape as Atem’s.  
Unmistakably so.  
Was this Marik Ishtar? He looked exactly like the photo online.

“Seto Kaiba, right?” The man said warmly, pointing casual finger guns at him with a soft smile. “Stopping by for a drink? This convenience store has the best homemade red bean…”

_I can see why my dear sister is worried. This is a man with lots of money. The Problem Man of Japan hahaha… better get him away from here quickly, but I really want to know what happened inside his car. Was the King somehow forced in there? Impossible, right?_

“…Isn’t that right, Mr. Kaiba?” Marik’s smile did not waver as he looked expectantly Kaiba for an answer and received nothing but a blank look in response.

“What are you doing here?” Kaiba decided to retaliate with classic rudeness to throw him off, but the man seemed to take it with ease.

“Getting a drink! I thought I’d make it back in time to meet you in my office.”

“So you’re thinking about running away?” Kaiba said coldly, wishing Marik would step away from his car door so he could get in it and drive far away from here. “Move. I’ll see you there.”

 _Ah...good, thank god. He seems difficult._  Marik smiled warmly and walked back towards his motorcycle, lifting his helmet off the seat and patting it. “I’ll lead the way. I’m not thirsty anymore.”

_Crap! I ran into him too early, and here I thought I’d have more time to prepare._

Kaiba rolled his eyes and yanked the car door open with more force than was necessary and ducked inside, shocked when he saw deep scratches all around his leather steering wheel.

What the...fuck?

Sweeping his gaze around the inside of the cabin, Kaiba also noticed several more scratches along the handle of the leather gear shifter, and underneath the knob…where he had been gripping it in anger.

So, this was the ‘wild animal’.  
It did look like something had been let loose inside the cabin.

 _Did I do this?_ Kaiba thought faintly, glancing down at his nails and slightly disturbed to find that the tips of his nails had grown out into a fine point. How unsightly. He usually kept his fingers nicely manicured to maintain the perfect oval shape, and here, it looked like he had sprouted claws.

The motorcycle engine thundered steadily beside his window and there was a soft knock on the glass, coupled with a stray thought from Marik.

_Mr.CEO just sitting in his car…is he the one hiding? What’s going on?_

Kaiba didn’t answer, and he started his own engine in response, seeing the man beside him nod and steer his bike in front of his car, flashing his lights and indicating they should turn left.

Sighing, Kaiba flashed his lights too and slowly put the car into gear, unable to stem the odd painful churning inside his stomach.  
  
This man had better have the answers he needed.

* * *

“Is that all?” Atem asked quietly, holding Mana’s hands gently as she carefully recounted everything that had happened at the previous court meeting.

“Yes. Isis thinks Seto Kaiba will harm her brother. He won’t, right?”

“He won’t.” Atem reassured her with a small smile. “He may seem threatening, but deep down, he is kind.”

Mana nodded glumly and laid back onto the sponge bed with a soft thump.

“Atem…I’m so worried about you.”

“Don’t be, Mana.” Atem said anxiously, shifting himself so that his tail draped comfortably over the edge. “I have more to add to the message to Seto Kaiba, so please bear with me a moment longer and make another trip to shore alone?”

Mana swallowed thinly and threw an arm over her eyes, nodding tightly. “There is no one on the small shore. After seeing it for myself, I’m not as scared. I thought there would be people.”

“Good, good.” Atem said, relieved, and he gave Mana’s hand a tight squeeze. “And…I have another more…vulgar request.”

Mana sat up slowly and blinked, feeling a sudden rush of nervousness. “What is it, my king?”

Atem hesitated for a moment before saying, “I think Solomon will lessen the length of my shore-banishment if I produced an heir. Sometime this century, preferably.”

“Oh Atem…” Mana pressed her hands to her mouth, shaking her head with disbelief. “You can’t possibly be thinking—”

“I’ll do it, if it means I can see him again.” Atem said with determination and a grim smile. “Do you perhaps have any friends who are willing to conceive an heir with me?”

Mana opened and closed her mouth, at a complete loss for words.

“You can’t…rush into it!” Mana whispered, panic-stricken. “Your egg-bearer will want to be with you like a Mate. If anyone finds out you’re doing this to lessen your sentence…oh Ahti, I don’t know what people will think…or say! This is extreme, even for you, my king!”

“I’m going to try.” Atem said with furious conviction. “If I do what the kingdom expects of me, I’ll regain my freedom.”

“At the cost of your egg-bearer’s freedom!” Mana cried, shaking her beautiful head in disapproval. “You can’t deceive your egg-bearer like that. You won’t be able to conceive if your feelings aren’t true.”

“Oh, my feelings are true,” Atem raged, now fully set on this plan. “My feelings are true for Seto Kaiba. I’ll will an egg into existence if I have to.”

Mana gazed at him for a long moment, looking extremely forlorn. “Oh my king…he really has fooled you.”

Atem gave Mana an exasperated look and sighed. “No, Mana. I chose this myself.”

Mana nodded stiffly, looking so distraught she didn’t appear to be listening.

Atem sat with her in silence while his mind churned with schemes.

This was one thing he could try before he started breaking more extreme laws, like seeking out a Chrysalis.

That would be the last resort, because accessing a Chrysalis without permission was punishable by death.

* * *

“Please, sit.” Marik gestured to the lone chair sitting opposite to a large desk, with nothing but a computer on it.

“No, I’ll stand.” Kaiba said coldly, sweeping his gaze around the sparse office and feeling a twinge of annoyance.

These merpeople were really good at faking credentials, so this probably wasn’t even Marik’s office. He probably wasn’t even a professor, or a doctor. Just another puppet sent on land to deter him from finding out what he wanted to know.

“Well, you’ve got me here now.” Marik said stiffly, folding his arms across his chest and looking incredibly serious. “I’m here to keep the peace.”

“I don’t want to fight or start any fucking wars,” Kaiba fumed, his temper flaring automatically. “Where the fuck is that sample? I need it back. I sure as hell know it’s not dolphin sperm _.._. _Doctor_.”

Marik’s expression darkened and he shook his head tightly. “I’ve disposed of it already.”

Kaiba balled his hands into fists and took a threatening step closer to the desk, fuming. “Why you ignorant little—”

“Please, Kaiba, the sample you had was dangerous!” Marik said defensively, dropping the polite ‘Mr.’ from his name as his tone changed from warm to hostile. “I’ll speak openly now since we are both aware of merpeople’s existence.”

“You weren’t speaking openly before?” Kaiba growled, tired of all the lies and hoops this man was jumping through with his words. “Spit it out.”

“Semen from a merman is incredibly dangerous,” Marik said shakily, and Kaiba narrowed his eyes, hearing his thoughts overlapping with his speech.

“It’s potent, and could possibly burn you…”

_Not acidic like saliva, but the seed has parasitic qualities. Too dangerous. I hope Seto Kaiba didn’t touch it with his bare hands._

Kaiba blinked, slowly growing numb. What? Was he hearing this man correctly?

“So please, stop seeking it out. Stop running tests on it, Mr. Kaiba,” Marik finished, once again using the ‘Mr.’ in his name.

Marik gazed intently at Kaiba’s blank expression, and his hair stood on end.

“You didn’t hear anything I just said, did you?” Marik cried, rising to his feet and trying not to sound angry. “I said it’s dangerous! Why are you ignoring me?”

“Are you human?” Kaiba asked quietly.

Marik blinked, folding his arms across his chest and answering the question with a haughty, “Yes. I am human.”

“Is your sister human?” Kaiba pressed, not caring if this man knew he could hear thoughts. He needed answers, not to be run around in a circle. Why were these people popping up in his life when they were the ones insisting on being left alone?

“M-My sister?” Marik’s eyes grew wide, and he broke out into a cold sweat. “I don’t recall ever mentioning I had a sister.”

“Lies on lies. Keep on lying. We’re done here.” Kaiba turned his heel and moved to the exit, thoroughly fed up with this man. “I have somewhere to be.”

“You mean…the shore, to wait for the King?” Marik raised his eyebrows knowingly. “Don’t bother. He won’t be there today. Or ever.”

“And how do you know that?” Kaiba asked testily, his hand already curled around the doorknob, and it briefly occurred to him that this man might have a way to communicate with Atem. How did they communicate anyway?

“I got a message.” Marik answered simply, and Kaiba turned around slowly to gaze into the man’s angular violent eyes, challenging him silently.

“ _How_ did you get a message?” Kaiba breathed, wondering if he could somehow force the answer out of this man. “Got a fish phone?”

Blinking rapidly, Marik sat down quickly and shook his head, looking stressed. “I can’t tell you.”

Kaiba narrowed his eyes threateningly, but to his delight, the answer came by way of Marik’s thoughts.

_I doubt this Kaiba could get his hands on a stray Messenger._

Kaiba nodded slowly, understanding that he didn’t need this man to speak the truth. He just needed to ask the right questions, and the truth would come out…in his thoughts.

The CEO hastily strode forward and took a seat in front of Marik’s desk, smiling the most charming smile he could muster, deciding to change his tone.

“Tell me more about yourself. How is the university? How is the hospital? I assume you split your time between them both? You must be…” Kaiba kept the smile plastered on his face, “…so busy.”

Startled, Marik was thrown by the sudden change in demeanor, but he obliged with an answer. “I lecture here part-time and the hospital is where I am permanently. Are we done here? You’ve got what you came for. The sample is gone, I’m sorry.”

_This man….! He is dangerous indeed! He’s got two faces! What was that? A scene change? It couldn’t have been any more obvious! What does he want?_

Pleased, Kaiba crossed his legs and made himself comfortable in the small chair, satisfied with his own handiwork.

“Are you…half-human?” Kaiba pressed, thinking there was no way this man was fully human. And who the fuck was his sister? Maybe she was a mermaid.

Marik’s face fell, and he lowered his head quickly.

The silence grew heavy.

Unfazed, Kaiba just listened to Marik’s thoughts, fully aware that this man was trying to make him feel uncomfortable.

_How do I answer that? I can’t tell him anything…or can I? Isis’s instructions weren’t specific. She was just worried about me…thinking he would hurt me, but he only seems curious, hence the all the lab tests.  
I’ll stay quiet. He’ll get the hint._

Kaiba bit back a laugh. He was learning so much already! Marik’s sister’s name was Isis, and he was withholding information on purpose.

“I can sit here all day, all night,” Kaiba said airily, eying all the mythology books liming the bookshelves against the wall. “So much interesting reading material. I thought we were speaking openly?”

“We are.” Marik said, and after visibly fighting with himself, he decided to tell the truth. “Very well. You are correct. I am half-human, born from a human mother who died shortly after giving birth to my sister, Isis.”

“See? I knew you had a sister.” Kaiba grinned boyishly, folding his hands over his knee and leaning forward with interest. “I appreciate the truth. What else? How do you live? What do you eat? Can you also hear fish bitching at you through the glass in their tanks?”

Marik’s mouth fell open slightly, wondering how Kaiba knew so much about merpeople’s abilities, and he had to remind himself that this was the man who had captured the King.

“I shouldn’t be telling you anything else.” Marik said coldly, gesturing at the door. “Your actions towards the mer-king were cruel, and you’re unwelcome here.”

“Oh, that?” Kaiba threw his head back and let out a bark of laughter. “ _He_ swam into my net. I did him a favor and cleaned up all the floating garbage. Somehow, this is the payment I get. Stolen lab samples and a liar sitting in front of me.”

“How dare you call me a liar!” Marik fumed, his dislike growing for Kaiba by the second. “I worked hard to carve a life for myself here in Japan. Not only am I looked down upon for being a foreigner, I grew up with no family on land to support me!”

“Boo fucking hoo, you and me both.” Kaiba said plainly, waving a hand across his nose. “Do you exhibit any fish-like qualities?”

Marik shifted uncomfortably in his seat, his face growing redder and redder by the second, and Kaiba couldn’t tell if it was from embarrassment or rage because his thoughts were eerily silent.

“No, I fortunately don’t,” Marik answered after a long moment of struggling with himself. “I am completely human, and my sister got all the other…qualities.”

“Interesting…so, how do I catch a stray messenger?” Kaiba asked quickly, and Marik was so thrown, his shock showed on every inch of his face.

“H-How do you know about that?” He gasped, and in his mind, he scrambled for a quick answer that would appease the CEO.

_How does this man know so much? First about Isis, and next about Messengers! Did Atem tell him these things while in captivity? This meeting is over. I can’t take any more. I’ve already confessed to discarding the parasitic semen._

“Right…” Kaiba nodded, slightly annoyed that he couldn’t get an answer out of Marik. “That’s fine. We can talk more about the parasites in the semen.”

“It _behaves_ like a parasite….and only to humans! And g-get out of my office!” Marik spluttered, losing his composure steadily with each passing second. “Are you somehow reading my thoughts? How do you know so much? Never mind. Get out!”

“See, I’d know a bit more if you hadn’t stolen my sample,” Kaiba continued calmly, remaining in his seat with his arms and legs crossed. “Has it ever killed anyone? Parasites need something to—”

“It killed my mother,” Marik said, standing shakily and pointing a finger at the door, his eyes slightly wet with unshed tears. “It latches inside the womb, and no human has ever survived birthing a merperson. That’s why no one knows anything about it! Get…the fuck…out!”

“ _I_ would know…if I had some semen to run tests on.” Kaiba tilted his head to the left, slightly pleased with all the information he was learning. “How many cases do you know of?”

“Fine. If you won’t leave…” Marik grabbed his bag and helmet in a frenzy and raced for the door, shaking from head to toe. “... _I_ will. Good day, Mr. Kaiba. May we never meet again.”

“Hey! Come back here!” Kaiba cried, but he was already shouting at a door swinging wide open on its hinges.

Shocked, Kaiba registered that Marik was running away, and he leapt out of his seat to go after him.

Skidding to a halt in the long hallway, Kaiba leaned against the wall and shut his eyes, desperately listening for a thought that would tell him where Marik had gone.

A faint roaring of a motorcycle starting in the distance was the answer he got.

 _Dammit!_ Kaiba growled angrily to himself, resisting the urge to punch the nearest wall. He could hear faint thoughts from someone coming down the hall, so he hastily turned and went back the way he came, intent on taking an elevator the parking garage to make his hasty exit.

He could corner Marik Ishtar on another day when he needed something else from him. For now, this was fine.

He knew what this man looked like, where this man worked, and his full name.

Kaiba picked up a brisk pace, eager to leave.  
Now, time to rush back to the beach and wait for Atem to show his face.

It was already well past sunset. Hopefully the merman was still there.  
  
If not, there was always tomorrow.

* * *

Mana popped her head above the water and took a deep breath of fresh salty air. She scanned the beach quickly and she let out a sigh of relief when she saw no one.

Swimming forward with her head still above water, she eyed the beach longingly. Oh how she wished to lay down on the soft sand and watch the sun set…! It had been so many years since she had done so. After having been spotted by a couple of drunk party people on another shore, Mana had lost the confidence to sun herself on any beach.

Since Atem said this was Kaiba’s private rock, perhaps it was okay to sit for a while.

Holding her breath, Mana mustered up all her courage and waited for a large wave to roll overhead before she swam powerfully upwards, letting it wash her gently to shore.

Rolling over onto her back in the sand, Mana squealed happily and fanned her tail against another oncoming foamy wave. Oh, this was so nice!

She stretched out to relax, and daringly placed her cheek down on the sand, breathing deeply.

Fresh air...clean sand…peace and quiet….

Mana was beginning to understand why the other mermaids enjoyed moon bathing so much.

But going with a group at the salon was always an expensive endeavor…perhaps she could convince the court to let Atem moon bathe with her.

The soft pattering of footsteps sounded from afar, and Mana perked her ears up frantically. She bolted upright into a sitting position and let out a frightened squeak when she saw a small child running towards her at full speed.

He had pale skin, angular eyes and unusually long black hair.

Frozen to the spot with fear, Mana was unable to find the strength to push off the beach. The waves were somehow getting farther away…and the child was getting closer.

Mokuba skidded to a halt and almost tripped over his own feet in the sand when he realized Atem had somehow magically evolved into a beautiful woman with flowing brown hair and bright blue eyes.

“M-Mermaid? Why are you a girl?” Mokuba cried, throwing his hand over his eyes when he realized her breasts were not covered. “Oh my god, put on some clothes! Are you doing this for Seto? Ew, gross!”

Mana’s eyelid twitched in annoyance at the child’s tone, so she didn’t move or reply.  
Clothes?! What an offensive suggestion!  
And why was the child acting as she was ugly to look upon?  
Was this Seto Kaiba’s child?

“Go away!” Mana cried, placing a protective hand over the seaweed pouch which contained Atem’s earrings, and she eyed an oncoming wave behind her. “I’m leaving. You never saw me!”

Mokuba cracked an eye open and dared to lower his arm slightly, peeking at her. “Wait! Wait...Seto will be here soon!”

“I don’t want to see you, or him!” Mana cried, regretting her shore visit deeply now, and she turned to claw her way back to the receding tide, not caring how undignified she looked. The longer she sat exposed, the more danger she was in.

Mokuba lowered his arm fully and watched the mermaid try to catch a wave back into deeper waters, but had timed the dive badly, and ended up rolling sideways across the sand, her deep violet tail skidding heavily behind her.

Wow. The boy mermaid was usually better at that. Was this really not him?

Mana heard Mokuba’s thoughts but was too terror-stricken to care. He could call her a boy-mermaid all he wanted.  
Finally after a second attempt, she managed to catch a larger wave and roll off the beach into deeper waters, her heart pounding painfully with relief.

“But…wait…” Mokuba breathed, feeling his chest tighten strangely at the sudden encounter. “Seto will cry if you don’t…stay….”

Mana swam away and hid behind the rock for safety, pressing a hand to her chest and trying to calm down. Cry? The human would cry? Was that really so?

Because what she had seen was Atem doing all the crying, and it was getting quite worrisome. Was the human crying too?

“Mermaid?!” Mokuba called shrilly, grabbing onto the rock and climbing it with difficulty because it was slippery and wet. “Mermaid! I’m sorry! Please come back!”

 _Crap, Seto’s gonna kill me for that_. Mokuba thought grumpily, plopping himself down on the rock, cross-legged.

 _Kill?!_ Mana thought, horrified. That was a figure of speech, right? But...just in case it wasn’t….

Mokuba heard a splash below by the edge of the rock. He quickly got on his hands and knees and peered curiously over the edge, seeing a stream of bubbles getting larger and larger before the beautiful girl with round eyes appeared again, but this time, keeping her lower body hidden.

“Oh good…you’re gonna stay,” Mokuba said warmly, feeling his palms slip dangerously forward on the wet surface of the rock. “What’s your name? You’re not him, right?”

“No, I am not.” Mana replied coldly, wondering how stupid human children could be. “I am fully a girl. I am not a boy-mermaid.”

“Yeah, sorry about that,” Mokuba said, grinning sheepishly and giving his black hair an embarrassed ruffle. “I’ll wait with you here until he comes.”

Mana contemplated that for a moment and decided that her heart couldn’t take meeting another human, and especially not the one who had captured Atem in the first place and forced him to mate.

“No need. You’ll pass the message on for me, little boy.” Mana said shakily, and to her surprise, the child glared angrily at her.

“I’m old! I’m thirteen you know! That’s practically a teenager. Screw you, Mermaid. _You’re_ little.”

Mana’s mouth dropped open with shock at the sudden rudeness and she contemplated arguing back, but she decided to take the higher road.

Atem’s task for her was far more important than arguing with a child.

“Then, take this…. you old man.” Mana said coolly, untying the seaweed pouch from her waist and holding it up for him.

The child eyed the bag suspiciously and folded his arms stubbornly across his chest. “What’s that? Killer shrimp? No thanks.”

“Killer what?” Mana’s eyes widened with confusion and she wondered if the boy was joking. “These are for you! And the message is—”

“You mean, it’s for Seto.” Mokuba corrected brattily, and he reached down to snatch the seaweed pouch from her beautifully manicured fingers. “Thanks. He says thanks.”

“Listen to the message, child, and repeat it to him! Do you understand?” Mana cried, beginning to slowly lose her patience.  “Repeat it after me—”

“Repeat it after me, child, I do understand.” Mokuba said dully, rolling his eyes and hanging the wet pouch around his neck. “Okay, what is it?”

“You are insufferable.” Mana said, unable to help herself, and to her rising surprise, the child laughed heartily.

“Thanks, and…you’re…pretty.” Mokuba grinned widely, and Mana’s voice died in her throat.

This is grossly inappropriate.  
Atem’s message!

“The message is very serious, so remember it word for every word.” Mana said with finality, and the boy nodded carelessly, still smiling stupidly down at her. “‘ _My duties no longer include visits to shore, so I will not be seeing you anymore, Seto Kaiba. I love you dearly, but please know that_ —”

“Ew, I’m not gonna say that,” Mokuba said, interrupting her for the millionth time, and Mana lost her patience.

“ _‘I love you dearly’_ , you must say it! He needs to hear every word of it!” she cried, her voice echoing thinly up and down the empty beach, and Mokuba held his hands up defensively, looking slightly disturbed.

“Okay, okay, geez Mermaid, calm down. _I love you dearly and my duties no longer include visits to shore_!”

“Good, and… ‘ _My punishment is a shore-long ban for a century, so please do not wait for me. Do not waste your own life waiting for me. Do not take your life when I don’t appear. Please do these things for me if you truly understand_.’”

Mokuba sat back on his heels, the air slowly leaving his lungs with shock.  
What the fuck was this? Breaking up?  
So the other mermaid was too chicken to break up with Seto in person, and he had to send a random _girl_ to do it for him?!

“What nonsense are you thinking about? Recite it back to me now.” Mana insisted, and she heard an odd splash coming from behind. Suddenly, a warm hand wrapped around her fin and Mana squeaked in surprise when an unfamiliar voice floated through her mind.

_“My dearest Lady. I’m a palace guard who has been sent to follow you, and I advise that you leave the child alone now. I report back to Mahad on all shore-related happenings as a secondary source…and I will wait for you at a safe distance.”_

“Something bite you?” Mokuba tilted his head curiously, and the mermaid shook her head furiously, her cheeks dark pink.

“Goodbye child. I need to go now. Remember it all, every word, do you hear?”

“Y-Yeah ok, I got it.” Mokuba said uncertainly, and he watched her sink down beneath an oncoming wave that crashed against the side of the rock.

On a second thought, Mokuba rose to his feet and shouted over the water, “My name is Mokuba by the way! I’m not Seto, just letting you know you got the message to the wrong person!”

 _Got it! I understand!_ Mana thought back furiously, swimming away from the rock at breakneck speed, seeing the dark shadow of the Stealthsman waiting for her in deeper waters.

She dove straight down towards him, filled with relief and gratitude towards Mahad for sending a guard after her.  That child had been one of the strangest encounters with humans she’d ever had.

Clasping her hands together quickly, she said a small prayer, hoping that she had done her job well enough to help ease Atem’s pain.

* * *

**Author’s note:**

Message: delivered  
Tears: shed?  
Atem: sad/angry  
Kaiba: angry/preoccupied  
Marik: appeared mysteriously  
Mokuba: bratty as fuck

thank you for reading! please let me know what you think in a comment below!!

please come connect with me on [TWITTER :D](https://twitter.com/hello_ugli)

hugs,  
Ugli


	20. Chapter 20

Kaiba raced down the sandy boardwalk towards the beach, breathless with anticipation.

Mokuba had notified him of Atem’s appearance ten minutes ago, and he had sped dangerously on the road to get to the beach in five.

“Seto!” Mokuba turned to wave his arms at his older brother who was taking leaping strides over the sand. “Don’t bother! She left!”

Kaiba reached the rock and leaned against it tiredly, heaving, out of breath. “She?!”

Mokuba nodded anxiously, unsure of how to begin delivering the message without hurting Seto’s feelings.

“Spit it out, kid,” Kaiba panted, finally catching his breath, and he straightened up to look Mokuba in the eye, wondering why his brother was sitting so oddly on the wet rock.

“Get down from there before you hurt yourself.”

“Okay, but you have to listen to the message really closely, cuz I’m delivering it word for word,” Mokuba said, watching Seto’s reaction carefully for any changes.

“Yes, I’m listening,” Kaiba said testily, folding his arms across his chest in annoyance. Atem couldn’t come tell him something face-to-face, and had to send a messenger?

“But first, you have to know that she was super pretty,” Mokuba said, blushing so hard, the tips of his ears turned pink. “And-And she wasn’t wearing a top, Seto! She was _naked!_ I saw her boobs! They were huge! They were like, this big—”  
  
_…like bigger than my face! And…_

“Mokuba…” Kaiba sighed, pressing a palm to his forehead and feeling a laugh coming reluctantly up his chest, but his younger brother continued to rant excitedly.

 “Oh man, she was way prettier than the boy mermaid! She was wearing shells in her hair, and her eyes were blue, and her hair was brown, and her hands were—”

 “Mokuba!” Kaiba raised his voice and felt the corners of his mouth tugging upwards. “What did she say?”

“That…he’s breaking up with you like a chicken, and he couldn’t come say it to your face.” Mokuba grumbled, completely disregarding the mermaid’s request to recite the message word for word.

“What?!” Kaiba narrowed his eyes at his younger brother shrewdly. “Come on, kid. She really said, ‘like a chicken’?”

“No, I added that part,” Mokuba said nervously. “Oh, here!”

He lifted the seaweed pouch off his neck and handed it to his older brother who accepted it oddly with both hands.

“Uh...--Ah… _‘this is for you…_ ’” Mokuba began, seeing Seto’s eyes widen, and he changed his mind. “That’s it. That’s all she said.”

Shaking his head in exasperation, Kaiba loosened the pouch, and two golden wing-shaped earrings landed in his open palm.

The blue gems sparkled warmly back at him in the setting sun, and Kaiba stared at them in disbelief, wondering why Atem had such a magnificent change of heart, suddenly deciding to gift him with…his most prized possession?

The merman had said these were his mother’s earrings if he recalled correctly….

“What’s the message?” Kaiba asked tensely, curling his fingers over the gold jewelry while his heart sank rapidly to his feet. He had a bad feeling about this.

“Fine…fine,” Mokuba grumbled, and he took a moment to compose himself before he recounted the entire meeting in one giant breath.

“ _Listen to the message, child, and repeat it to him. Do you understand?_ She said that to make sure I was listening, and then I said ‘okay’, so she said: _my duties no longer include visits to shore, so I will not be seeing you anymore, Seto Kaiba. I love you dearly_.”

Kaiba stared at Mokuba, an odd ringing filling his ears.

“Um…there’s more…but it’s stupid,” Mokuba said lamely, sliding off the rock and attempting to make an escape, but his brother caught him by the arm and held him firmly in place.

It was a bad idea to tell Seto all of it.

“Tell me all of it,” Kaiba said, his face eerily blank and his voice devoid of emotion. “That’s not all of it. I know there’s more.”

“Ugh, fine.” Mokuba rolled his eyes and continued reciting from memory. “ _My punishment is a shore-long ban for a century, so please do not wait for me. Do not waste your own life waiting for me. Do not take your life when I don’t appear. Please do these things for me if you truly understand._ THE END. He’s breaking up with you and making excuses, blah blah. Can I go now?”

Mokuba gazed up at his older brother, noticing that his eyes had gone glassy and his grip had loosened. Twisting away, he ran back towards the house, not wanting to see Seto cry on the beach again.  
  
He had already seen Seto cry one other time, and it was hard to watch.

That merman was evil.

Kaiba found himself in a sitting position in the sand, and Mokuba’s dull voice carrying Atem’s message kept echoing terribly through his head.

“ _My punishment is a shore-long ban for a century… Please do not wait for me. Do not waste your own life waiting for me. Do not take your life when I don’t appear.”_

Atem had somehow gotten in trouble and was banned from shore?

For a century.

A _century._

A hundred years.

A hundred fucking years!

 _How long do merpeople live?_ Kaiba reeled, gripping his head in his hand and wondering if this was all an elaborate prank being played on him by a cruel god.

Was Atem really gone forever? No. That was an unreasonable thought. He was only gone for this century.

 _If I can somehow reach him before then…_ Kaiba thought as he rose to his feet in a strange trance and began wading towards the water, his eyes burning with unshed tears of anger and frustration.

This was horrible and unfair. They didn’t even get to say a proper goodbye. Instead, the message had been delivered by a random mermaid.

Mokuba stood by the window, watching Seto wade robotically into an oncoming wave, and he froze, growing cold all over. What the heck was Seto doing?!

Kaiba let a large wave swallow him from the chest up, and he grit his teeth, slightly relieved the water was hot.

Maybe, his fish powers would include breathing underwater. No time like the present to try it out.

“Seto!” Mokuba cried, banging his fist on the window. He dashed out of the house, his chest tight with fear. “Seto! Stop! What’re you doing?!”

Kaiba heard Mokuba’s frantic shouts and thoughts, but he ignored them, steadily wading deeper into the ocean until he no longer felt sand beneath his toes.

Bobbing up and down against the waves, Kaiba took a deep breath and dove downwards, daring to keep his eyes open. He couldn’t see anything. It was completely dark.

He stayed beneath the surface, fighting every wave that tried to wash him to shore, and he popped his head up again, hearing Mokuba’s frantic thoughts.

_Oh my god! Seto is gonna kill himself! The message was literally ‘don’t kill yourself’! And he’s doing it right now!_

Rolling his eyes, Kaiba dove beneath the water again, going deeper this time, and Mokuba’s thoughts grew fainter and fainter as he went.

_…and the water is cold! Is he gonna be okay? I’ll call Isono…._

Kaiba held his breath for as long as he could, feeling his lungs bursting for air the longer he stayed underwater, but he stubbornly held out, slowly letting a stream of air leave his lips.

Now there was truly no air left inside of him.  
He had exhaled it, and the only other option was to take a gulp of water or rise to the surface for air.

Kaiba daringly inhaled through his nose, and a terrible stinging invaded his nostrils.

Clawing his way upwards, he coughed and sputtered while the salt water stung his eyes.  
Great.  
Theory disproved. He could not breathe underwater, nor was he a better swimmer.

“Seto! Please come back!” Mokuba cried worriedly, waving his arms wildly while jumping up and down. “It’s too cold!”

Rolling his eyes, Kaiba tread his way over several waves back into shallow waters, his heart heavy with disappointment.

There _was_ a way to reach Atem. He just hadn’t figured it out yet.

* * *

Mana gently pushed Atem’s door open and floated inside without an invitation.

The king was sitting on his bed, surrounded by stacks of books. It was an odd sight to see.

“Atem…” Mana ventured, quickly closing the door behind herself and leaning against it for support. “I-I did it. I delivered your message.”

Atem jerked his head up and dropped the book. He swam over to her and pulled her into a grateful embrace.

“Thank you, Mana. Did he say anything in return?” Atem asked keenly, his heart leaping wonderfully at the thought of a message from Seto Kaiba, but to his dismay, Mana shook her head tightly.

“I spoke to a small child for a few moments until a Stealthsman grabbed my fin and told me to get away from him.”

Atem blinked, slowly digesting this information.  
Mana had not spoken to Seto Kaiba, but to Mokuba Kaiba, and knowing that child, he probably wasn’t very helpful.

“He really wasn’t!” Mana agreed vehemently, hearing Atem’s passing thought. “I gave him the earrings, and he called me pretty, but only after acting as if I was ugly! How dare he!”

Atem managed a small smile, his heart still pounding painfully in his chest with sorrow. “That is how he behaves all the time. He means well.”

Mana nodded and lowered her head apologetically. “I’m sorry I wasn’t able to get my message to the right person. Shore travels are being monitored now, more strictly than ever since your…accident.”

“I understand,” Atem said hollowly, eyeing the books stacked atop his bed hatefully. “Thank you for sending my message, Mana. Let’s not speak of this anymore. This could get you into trouble.”

Mana bowed prettily and floated towards the door, giving Atem a curious glance over her shoulder. “This human…Seto Kaiba. You must really love him. Does he look anything like the child I saw?”

Atem shook his head quickly and jumping excitedly at the chance to talk about Seto. “No. In fact, he’s got brown hair…and blue eyes. The most beautiful blue eyes—”

“I have brown hair and blue eyes,” Mana said stiffly, tossing a lock of hair over her shoulder sassily. “Just seek a merperson with brown hair and blue eyes! Those are very common traits, Atem.”

“It’s not just his appearance, Mana.” Atem said impatiently, realizing that it was futile to discuss this further with her because the mermaids in Confinement were the only ones who truly understood.

“Well, if I ever see him again on my next shore visit in a few years, I’ll let you know how he’s doing.” Mana said warmly, hoping this would appease Atem, “Mahad kindly arranged for me to only have to surface once every five years...or until I can find a merman who will willingly take my place.”

Atem nodded silently and politely watched her exit his chambers before he threw himself back down on his bed and glared angrily at all the books he had hauled into his room.

He couldn’t help but feel angry. Angry that Mana had not delivered the message to Seto Kaiba and was no longer able to make shore visits without supervision.

Picking up a book about mating, Atem settled himself down on his bed again and continued reading.

_“Mating between a human and a merperson is a banned practice. Humans reporting sightings of merpeople risk endangering entire colonies given the rise of human technology…”_

Atem sighed loudly and resisted the urge to slam the book shut. Boring.  
Nothing new here other than the biased ramblings of the Scholar who wrote this.  
Mai was correct when she said reading mer-editions of books would help. He was learning about the ingrained prejudices merpeople held against humans.

Sighing again, Atem forced himself to continue reading. There had to be something useful in here.

_“…There are only a few reported cases of mermen impregnating human women, and all have died during the birthing process. Therefore, the Council concluded that this act was Cruelty Against Humans, and issued a decree to ban mer-human mating in the following century. Mermen were no longer allowed to surface in order to seek human women.”_

_Oh._ Atem thought darkly, his interest piqued, and he turned the page.

_“This led to a rebellion, which was quickly contained by King Ramses II, but this gave rise to a new problem. Mermaidens realized this rule did not apply to them, and many maidens began traveling to shore to seek the thrills of human sex with a man (or another woman, see footnote, Lesbianism*) …”_

_What is this?!_ Atem leaned away from the book, slightly perturbed. Humans had a name for female love? How strange.

_“In Era 18, there was only one reported case of a merman seeking love with a male human, and unfortunately, the human he had mated with suffered Deep Internal wounds and died in the following years.”_

_But Kaiba is fine, and that never happened to me!_ Atem thought, his panic rising as he began to skim and skip a few words in a desperate bid for information.

_“…Several Scholars and Medics were sent on shore, undercover, to determine the unnamed male human’s cause of death (see footnote, Internal Bleeding*) coupled with a weakened immune system._

_Merman semen is dangerous to humans because it contains parasitic-like properties, and the human, after having willingly ingested some from his mer-mate, died painfully from an intestinal rupture._

_Now, there is a decree in **Book IITzolk, on Shelf Q’ij** , issued by King Senwroset, stating that any merperson caught mating with a human should receive punishment as severe as any Merderer. (Confinement for 150 centuries, and no Sun-Time.) _

_These studies show that MerMating with humans causes painful human death, so it has been explicitly banned across the entire ocean.”_

Atem slammed the book shut, breathing heavily and willing himself to remain composed. That had been too much bad information all at once, with only one good bit of news.  
He had somehow avoided the 150-century punishment in Confinement, with a mere slap on the wrist.  
One century and supervised Sun-time every decade.

But all the stuff written about intestinal rupturing was incorrect. Seto Kaiba was fine, and he was fine every time they had met.

Shoving the book aside with a huff, Atem decided that the book was biased and mostly wrong.

Time to read something else.

He reached for the next book at the top of the stack and bit back a tired sigh.

“Humans and their Pets.”                          
  
This ought to be interesting.

* * *

Kaiba paced his office, intently blocking out his secretary’s thoughts while he raged internally.

The game had changed completely. If Atem’s message was to be taken seriously, he really wasn’t going to see him again…ever.

Unless there was a way to become immortal.

Did the scales provide that? Doubtful, because it seemed they only healed wounds and caused terrible nausea as a side-effect.

 _Well, I have the rats, I can test it on them,_ Kaiba thought wearily, already hating the idea. He needed solid results. On another human preferably, but that was never going to happen.

_Oh, I’m so worried for Tsukiya-kun…. He couldn’t sleep last night either, and now I’m tired…._

Growling, Kaiba shut her out and continued to pace.

He couldn’t physically go down there with a submarine because Atem lived at a depth that no man-made machine could withstand. Every single one of his own actions moving forward from now on, had to be a bid for more information, to get closer to Atem.

Another possible way was to find the mysterious Chrysalis, and somehow harness its powers.

He could convince Atem to dive into it and come out with legs. Or, he could dive into it himself, and come out with a …tail?

Kaiba shook the horrifying thought out of his mind and clenched his fists.  
Finding the elusive Chrysalis was the last resort.  
Communicating with Atem should the first obstacle.

_Oh no. He keeps texting me, asking if Mr. Kaiba is treating me badly because of it. No, no he isn’t. Please don’t worry my dear…_

Kaiba paused mid-step and wondered what the fuck she was thinking about. His name had come up, coupled with the words “treating me badly”, and Kaiba had made it his private mission to never hear those words from her ever again.

He held his breath, waiting for another thought to come floating by, and sure enough, one did.

_No, I don’t know how much the car is worth! And no, I’m not going to ask him! Asking him will only draw attention to the situation. He made eye contact with me this morning, which was a good sign!_

Kaiba stood by the door, listening to his heart pounding thickly in his ears.  
Car? Was she talking to the man who had hit his car the other day?!  
What a small and funny world.

Yanking the door open, Kaiba strode towards her desk and watched her jump to her feet with a wide-eyed expression.

“Heading out, Mr. Kaiba?” she asked tentatively with a small smile, and Kaiba leaned casually against the front counter, returning her smile with effort.

“No, but I do have a question about your future husband,” he said, watching the color slowly leave her face as he spoke. “He’s the one who hit my car, isn’t he?”

She shook her head vehemently and bowed deeply, apologizing so fast, Kaiba could barely understand her speaking, so he decided to listen to her thoughts instead, which were also screaming incoherently.

_Oh CRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAP!!!!!! IT’S LIKE HE’S A MIND READER!! I JUST HUNG UP WITH TSUKIYA ABOUT IT, AND NOW HE WALKS OUT HERE TALKING ABOUT IT…but he doesn’t look angry, thank god. I’ll just stay in this position, bowed, and keep apologizing until he walks away like usual._

“And I have a completely unrelated question,” Kaiba continued, speaking instantly when he heard a gap in her apologetic rant. “Do you know anything about mermaids?”

_What?!_

“I-I’m sorry...wh-what?” she stammered, completely taken aback by the subject change.

“Mermaids,” Kaiba said impatiently, drumming his fingers against the marble countertop protruding above her desk. “Mythology.”

“O-Oh…I…” she paused for a moment, thinking.

_What on earth?! So it’s not about the car, but about mermaids?! He came by to talk about the car as a CONVERSATION STARTER ABOUT MERMAIDS?! What is wrong with this guy? Ouugh no, concentrate and answer his question!_

“I love mermaids,” she gushed with a warm smile, sitting down quickly and gazing politely up at him. “I was obsessed with them as a little girl, and…all throughout high school, embarrassingly enough. I even took classes related to Greek and literature in order to read about them.”

“Well, thank fuck,” Kaiba said, pleased to discover that she might be more helpful than the suspicious and twitchy Marik Ishtar. “Tell me everything. And I mean, literally…everything. Even the shit that people think is made-up.”

She blinked rapidly and nodded, taking a moment to compose herself.

 “I think the most fascinating thing about mermaids is the fact that they’re immortal,” she said happily, fanning some paperwork across her desk with ease and beginning to sort them. “They’re so wise and beautiful.”

Kaiba stared at her, waiting for her to continue, but she appeared to have finished speaking. Even her thoughts were quiet.

“What else?” Kaiba pressed, eager to hear more. “Do they live in, say, colonies or cities?”

She laughed a tinkling laugh and threw him a strange look. “Well, I suppose! They would live like any other intelligent life form! Have you read the stories of Atlantis? Maybe they live like that and have giant machines doing all the work for them!”

“I’ve heard of Atlantis, but I’m talking about people with fins and fishtails,” Kaiba said stiffly, hating how she was treating this as friendly banter. “What’s a popular myth about mermaids?”

“That they hate humans, or that merfolk and humans can’t coexist,” she replied instantly, sounding oddly bossy. “Many stories I’ve read only highlight the struggles of one side, wanting to merge, but hating the other side. They always strive for harmony.”

Kaiba rolled his eyes. Yeah, that much was true, at least based on what Atem told him.

“Well, what about mermen?” Kaiba asked steadily, watching her face for a reaction, and she grinned happily at him, her eyes sparkling with interest.

“Oh! Yes! Have you seen the movie Aquaman?”

“What.” Kaiba narrowed his eyes, hating the name. “The aquatic man.”

“The superhero.” She nodded, shuffling the papers again, and Kaiba realized with a jolt that she was organizing them...for him. “It was a strange movie where people with fins rode on sharks. I thought it was odd because in their universe, the mermen could swim faster than a shark, so why ride one when—”

“Yeah, I don’t want to hear about the movie,” Kaiba interrupted, trying his best to sound less rude and more conversational. “I want to know what you know about mer…people.”

“Want to look through my old class notes?” She asked nonchalantly, passing him the stack of paperwork with a smile. “I still have them because I couldn’t bear to throw my hard work away. I’ll bring them for you tomorrow. You sound very interested in mythology, Mr. Kaiba!”

_Mermaids in particular. Do straight men have this much interest in mermaids? I don’t know….oh! Gosh! Right, he was having that crisis about being gay the last time I was in his office! OoooOoOooomYyyYYgodddddddddd HE’S GAY! I FORGOT TO MENTION IT TO TSUKIYA_

“This conversation is over.” Kaiba said coldly after hearing her thoughts, and he stalked back into his office, trying not to feel offended.

“Wh—I didn’t…Did I say something offensive, Mr. Kaiba?!” She cried, shaking her head in exasperation when she was ignored again.

 _Eccentric! That’s the word I’d use for him,_ she thought grumpily to herself, and inside his office, Kaiba ground his teeth together tightly, deciding he had had enough conversations with another person for today.

Time to set a filter to notify him of the words ‘mermaid’ and ‘merman’ being mentioned anywhere in the world, and have it ping on all his devices.

* * *

Atem swam slowly through the palace halls, desperately trying to find the hallway that led to the Pillars of Time.

He needed a way to keep track of time on shore if he was no longer making shore visits, and since he was trapped inside the palace for a century, there was nothing else to do other than explore.

He had read about this room in the books, and had learned that this was how merpeople kept track of All time.  
  
What he needed to do now was talk to a Keeper…whoever that was.

According to the texts, the Keeper was stationed inside the Pillar Room to help any passing merperson find the answers they were looking for, so Atem was feeling slightly optimistic.

He passed several dark hallways and took one at random.

There was a slight ascent, and musty smell. Turning around quickly, Atem went back the way he came.  
That was the wrong way.  
The Pillars should not have a stench.

He made a sharp turn and chose to swim down the hallway right beside it.

To his surprise, he heard voices echoing from the end, and he hurried towards them, realizing it was the sound of two mermaids gossiping happily.

 _“…And he just stared at me like he had lost his tongue!”_  
  
“Oh my! How wonderful! You’ve got his heart for sure!”

Atem hovered awkwardly at a distance, eyeing the pillars on either side of the entrance to the darkness. Bits of shattered glass and shells had been molded into the stone, giving the pillar a beautiful eerie glow every time he caught his reflection in the shards of mirror.

“Oh! My king!” One of the women gasped, noticing him at last and swimming towards him with a basket heavy with something alive inside of it. “Excuse us. We didn’t see or hear you there.”

“King Atem! We’re blessed to have you in our presence,” the other mermaid bowed prettily, blushing. “May we help you? Or are you just passing by?”

“Actually, yes, I could use a bit of help,” Atem ventured, gazing over the ladies’ shoulders and feeling his skin crawl at the dark, ominous hole behind them. It was flanked by more pillars that were decorated with stray fish bones and pieces of human glass.

“Tell us! We will help,” the mermaid holding the basket urged, and she passed it over to her companion slowly. “Please take this. It’s getting quite heavy.”

Atem reached for the basket instinctively and lifted it out of her hands, feeling the weight sag in his arms, and he smiled warmly. “For your troubles, I will carry this for you. Please tell me where I can find the Pillars of Time.”

The women giggled and tilted their heads curiously at him, pointing over their shoulders at the blackened hole behind them. “We were on our way there to gift Her with food.”

“I see,” Atem said nervously, feeling the thing in the basket wriggle suddenly and thrash weakly at the sides. “I will bring it in there if you don’t mind. I would like to learn more about the Keeper.”

“Oh praise Suijin!” the other mermaid cried happily, pressing a hand to her chest and grabbing her friend by the arm. “I’m always too scared to go in there by myself. Thank you, Atem. You are so brave!”

“Indeed, you are,” the first mermaid echoed, and the women bade him goodbye with friendly waves, swimming away to much haste while whispering fervidly to each other.

Frowning suspiciously, Atem heaved the basket onto his shoulder and swam boldly into the darkness, unfazed.

Blinking rapidly, Atem sharpened his senses as he pushed through the water. The glassy pillars were getting taller and longer around him, and the hallway began to widen.

The basket was getting heavier and heavier in his arms, and Atem paused to gather himself, realizing he was floating in the middle of the enormous amphitheater.

Towering pillars were arranged around him in a solid circle in the darkness, and the quiet was deafening.

“Keeper?” Atem called, shifting the basket to his other shoulder. “I come bearing food.”

He was met with silence. Not even a stray thought of thanks or acknowledgement.

Sighing, Atem dove downwards and set the basket on the stone floor, seeing a stray braided rope of kelp looped around the base of one of the pillars. He grabbed it and tied it over the basket, quickly securing it to the pillar.

A thick white octopus tentacle came snaking out of the darkness from behind the pillar instantly, and Atem watched with rising horror as it stabbed through the basket, shattering the woven shell and releasing the fish trapped inside.

More white curling arms emerged from behind each of the pillars, grabbing viciously at the fish that made frantic bids to swim away, and Atem swallowed thinly, backing away slowly as each fish was caught with terrifying precision and reeled into the darkness, emitting tiny cries of fear before they were devoured.

Each suction cup on the octopus’s arms was larger than his face; larger anything Atem had ever seen, and he instantly understood why the mermaids were so frightened.  
The Keeper was a terrifying, monstrous white cephalopod.  
The book had neglected to mention that.  
What species grew this large?!

Deciding not to stay, Atem kicked off the stone floor and powered rapidly upwards, eager to get away, but to his surprise, something caught the base of his tail and gave him a solid yank back down.

Letting out a panicked yell, Atem found himself being dragged past several pillars and towards a large, pulsating circular beak, lined with rows and rows of sharp teeth.

“Put me down at once! I am your king!” Atem shouted, thoroughly terrified at the thought of being eaten and never being able to see Kaiba again. “I’ve come to seek your help!”

 _You are not my king! You’re an ignorant child!_ She shrieked in his mind, giving him a vicious shake while he hung upside down helplessly in her grasp. _SSsSSstay away from my eggs, merman!_

 _Eggs?!_ Atem thought frantically, glancing around and biting back a gasp when he saw a large patch of milky-white eggs sitting in the cracks behind the pillar nearest to them.

“I’m not here for your eggs,” Atem said calmly, intent on not letting his fear show through, but his heart was leaping wildly inside his chest. “I need to keep time. Place a marker for me…please.”

The white tentacle did not uncurl from the base of his tail and her disgruntled voice echoed in his mind once more.

_Whhhere? And whhhich calendar, merman?_

“The…” Atem frowned and scrambled to remember. “The Gregorian Calendar which humans live by. Please put me down.”

 _NO! BECAUSE YOU WANT TO STEAL MY EGGS!_ She screamed, her tentacle tightening painfully around the base of his tail, almost cutting off circulation to his lower fins.

“What could I possibly want with your eggs?!” Atem demanded, wondering why this octopus was so resentful. “Place a marker for me on today’s date. I want a reminder for every passing year for the next century.”

 _SILENCE!_ She hissed, dragging him along with her while she glided over the cracked stony surface of each pillar, her tentacles feeling around each one, clearly searching for something.

Crossing his arms irritably, Atem felt himself growing dizzy as she waved him around like a ragdoll while she worked.

He noticed each pillar had enormous circular carvings with glowing gems embedded in their centers. The carvings were stacked upwards one on top of another, and the giant white octopus finally stopped at one pillar, still hanging Atem upside down by his fins while she held him up to inspect the circular calendar carved upon it.

Atem stared at the stonework in awe, taking in the intricate lines illustrating a human standing in the middle with his arms and legs spread wide. A giant stone with a blue core was growing out in the man’s chest, and directly beneath it, was a similar circular calendar, with a human woman carved in the center.

Strange markings covered every inch of the circle, growing smaller as they got towards the middle of the man’s navel, and Atem frowned, unable to understand any of it.

She grumbled loudly to herself, stabbing a tentacle at the calendar.

Attached to one of her large suction cups was a stray barnacle, and she held it against the stone, right at the carving’s elbow.

 _YOUR MARKER IS SET. NOW LEAVE!_ she yelled, and Atem didn’t need to be told twice.

Her grip on his tail finally loosened, and Atem twisted out of her grasp, zipping straight up towards the exit, his heart pounding thickly in his throat, almost choking the air out of him as he swam.

He burst out of the hallway and didn’t stop swimming until he reached the safety of his room. Slamming the door behind himself, Atem leaned against it, gasping for air.

That had been one of the most terrifying experiences he had ever had in his own home.

 _I’m doing this for you, Seto Kaiba!_ Atem thought angrily, driving over to his bed and staring down at the remaining books he had yet to read.

The human had better appreciate his effort.

Sighing, Atem sat down on the sandy floor and pressed a hand over his rapidly beating heart, trying to calm himself down.  
  
This was fine. He was going to be fine. Seto Kaiba was still going to be waiting for him when he surfaced. He just had to believe, pray, and keep researching.

If he spent his time wisely, a century would go by in a blink of an eye, and he would be reunited with Kaiba very soon.

* * *

 **Author’s note:**  
  
Kaiba receives atem’s message thru bratty Mokuba and is now in Pre-BlueScreenofDeath Mode, looking to find any and all information.

Atem struggles with the punishment in his own way, doing everything he can to keep track of time passing on shore. Including almost dying at the tentacles of a giant white octopus.

Bit of a short but impactful chapter? Idk u tell meeeeEeEee

Until next timmme,  
Ugli

this chapter was edited by:setokaibaes/marshmallons & taedae


	21. Chapter 21

Kaiba lay wide awake in bed, unable to sleep.

A three months had passed by insanely quickly since he had last seen Atem.

Mokuba had completed his high school entry exams and was starting school in another few months. His next few weeks were going to be filled with making sure Mokuba had everything he needed before school started.

This was going to be his brother’s first time attending a school that wasn’t private or abroad, and Kaiba was worried Mokuba would face the same prejudices he had struggled with.

Shaking the negative thoughts from his mind, Kaiba tried to focus on the positives.

He had gotten nowhere in his research with merpeople.  
He had gotten nowhere in his search for the elusive Chrysalis.  
Hell, even Marik Ishtar was avoiding him, by putting other people in his path whenever he showed up at his office or the hospital.

He had gone to the beachfront every other night, hoping and praying that Atem would surface, but as predicted, he did not. Waiting until sunrise, Kaiba would nap in the beachfront house for a couple hours before heading to work.

Because he was so exhausted, the days passed by in an uneventful, nauseating blur.

 _All positives,_ Kaiba fumed, turning over and tucking his arm under his head, glaring at his nightstand in the dark.

He was wasting time, and his own youthfulness. If merpeople were immortal, he was losing with every passing day.

Sitting up slowly and pushing the covers off his body, Kaiba decided that if he was awake, he might as well spend it in the lab downstairs.

Walking slowly down the hallway, he passed Mokuba’s door, and he could hear the faint sounds of a video playing on his phone.

He wasn’t in the mood to discipline his younger brother, so he let it slide.  
  
If his younger brother was growing up anything like himself, sleep was going to be hard to come by for the rest to of his life.

Sighing, Kaiba stepped into the elevator and leaned against the railing, feeling oddly nauseous again.

Goddammit.

He slowly sat down on the floor as the lift sank lower and he placed his head between his knees, breathing deeply while the nausea rose higher and higher.

Damn it. Damn it. Damn this nausea.

The elevator door slid open softly and Kaiba got to his feet, feeling his throat burn with bile. He was going vomit…

He spied the wastebasket by the lab table, and he lunged for it, bending over the edge and hurling what was left of his dinner.

Coughing weakly, Kaiba wrinkled his nose angrily at the stench and gingerly sat back on his heels, his head spinning terribly.

The rats and guinea pigs were rustling and scrambling in the glass enclosures squeaking softly at him.

Gritting his teeth, Kaiba pulled himself together and caregully bundled up the wastebasket before approaching the cages, wondering if he could talk to the animals using his mind the way he had done so with the fish.

 _Hey, you._ Kaiba said mentally, eyeing on guinea pig with brown and black spots who was busy preening itself. _Hey you. Hey. Hey, Hey._

The guinea pig ignored him and continued to wash its face with its tiny clawed hands.

 _Hey, you fucker, look at me._ Kaiba growled, tapping at the glass with a slender nail, and he withdrew his hand quickly when he saw that once again, his nail had grown out into a fine point.  There was also a tiny scratch in the place where his nail had been tapping.

“Ah, shit.” Kaiba groaned, examining the nails on both his hand and wondering what type of sandpaper he needed to use to make them look like normal, human nails again.

He patted around the drawers underneath the lab table and pulled out the stack of sandpaper he kept in the back and began filing his nails down on the surface, keeping the sandpaper flat on the table while gently dragging his nails down across it.

This was what cats did, right? Did he need to install a scratching post into his room now, in addition to the shower that spewed water that was below freezing?

“Please don’t eat me.”

Kaiba let out a startled yell and stumbled back away from the cages, his heart pounding furiously in his chest as he stared at the rats and guinea pigs.

“Who-Who said that?!” Kaiba hissed, sweeping his gaze across the row of glass cages _._

 _Who the fuck said that? Stand the fuck up and raise your motherfucking hand_ , Kaiba thought viciously, and nothing happened. All the animals in the cages were still clamoring around mindlessly while others were asleep.

“I said it, sir.” The brown spotted guinea pig stood up against the glass and stared right at him with its tiny beady eyes. “You’re sharpening your claws so you can eat me.”

“Shut up. He can’t understand you.” Another voice grumbled from behind it, and the brown spotted guinea pig dropped down on all fours to run back inside the plastic igloo.

Kaiba cautiously approached the glass cages and heard a shouting argument being had inside the igloo.

“He _could_ understand! He yelled when I said something!”

“These humans are all crazy! You heard the women in white coats! They said, ‘he’s going to run tests! ON US, YOU FOOL.”

“Will you two shut up? I hope you die first.”

“No, I hope _you_ die first.”

 _Shut up!_ Kaiba shouted in his head, but the petty arguing continued.

“No, you.”

“No, YOU!”

“I hope your death will be painful.”

“I hope your death will be painful and we ALL get to watch.”

 _They can’t understand me through thoughts, but I can speak with them directly?!_ Kaiba thought, terror-stricken. On a whim, he rapidly reached inside the cage to lift the igloo away from the hoard of guinea pigs underneath it, and shrill screaming filled his ears.

“HE’S GOING TO KILL US ALL!”

“RUN! RUN FOR YOUR LIVES! Someone jump out of the cage to distract him!”

“THAT’S SUICIDE! You’ll die when you hit the ground!”

“IT WORKED AT ANOTHER LAB I WAS AT! SOMEONE DO IT!”

“But how far away is the ground?! YOU DO IT, IT WAS YOUR IDEA!”

“Listen you fuckers,” Kaiba said coldly, glaring down at the group of guinea pigs scrambling around in the cage making a huge mess. “Shut the fuck up. No one is going to die. At least, not if I can help it.”

 The animals all paused in their motions and stared at him for a moment before continuing to panic amongst themselves.

“See? We’re fine! Let me go back to sleep.”

“HUMANS DO THIS THING, ITS CALLED LYING.”

“Oh sure, you’re the wisest of us all, only because you’ve been alive the longest.”

“IN FACT, I AM!”

Rolling his eyes, Kaiba realized that they were ignoring him probably because the idea of a human understanding them was probably beyond their comprehension.

They did have tiny brains after all.

Setting the igloo back down in the cage, Kaiba grabbed several vials of liquefied scales from the freezer and arranged them in a neat row in front of each cage. Next, he grabbed a few clean syringes and lined each one up with every vial.  
Then, He pried open a laptop that was sitting nearby and suppressed a yawn.  
  
One group he would inject with the scales, another he would make them ingest it by putting it in their water feeders.  
The third group would be his control.  
He would do this twice over, with rats and guinea pigs.

Time to begin.

* * *

Atem placed a grey stone on the hollowed-out indent alongside four other stones on the golden calendar block, feeling a rush of sadness.

At his request two stones ago, three strong Stealthsman and one palace guard had moved this calendar from the outer gardens and into his room.

There were two rows of six empty spaces for stones, and every time a row filled up, it meant half a year had passed on shore.

One more stone, and it would be six months. Time was passing too quickly and slowly at the same time.

Atem had nearly forgotten to place the previous stone, because four weeks had passed by in the blink of an eye. Everyone was intent on keeping him busy, eager to forget the horror of the past, and Atem could feel that everyone wanted to move on quickly, but he personally couldn’t.

Thoughts of Seto Kaiba filled his mind like an infectious disease. Anytime he did anything, Kaiba’s face would appear in the front of his mind.

Just the other day when he was making an obligatory visit to the Mines, he had thought of nothing but Seto Kaiba on the journey there, and on the journey back.

Mahad had even commented on his peculiar silence, and Atem shook him off with a glare and a sorrowful look.

Throwing himself down on his bed, Atem gathered the sheets in his arms and gave them a tight hug, shutting his eyes and imagining it was Kaiba in his arms instead.

It was futile. Nothing and no one could replace Seto Kaiba.

A soft knock sounded at his door and Mana’s voice floated through it.

“Atem…Solomon is requesting your presence in the throne room.”

 _Again?_ Atem raged internally, swimming over to the door and throwing it open. “What does he want?!”

“I-I... don’t know.” Mana lied badly, clasping her hands in front of her with an embarrassed flush before lowering her voice to a whisper. “Actually…its regarding Matchmaking.”

“I swear on Tefnuu’s staff I will murder that old man in his sleep one day.” Atem muttered venomously, plowing through the water in his anger and ignoring Mana’s worried thoughts behind him.

He floated to a furious stop at the edge of the hallway leading into the throne room, seeing a row of strangers along the pillars of the room.

Mahad spotted him and dove towards him with a sympathetic smile, gesturing for Atem to swim closer. “Come, my king. You’ll like this selection better—”

“Not interested.” Atem seethed, and Solomon’s deep voice echoed from behind him.

“King Atem! I need you in here…now!”

Grinding his teeth in annoyance, Atem spun around and sped back into the throne room, glaring at the old merman and choosing to float a good distance away from him, avoiding the heated stares from the strangers in the room.

“I don’t want this.” Atem said coldly.

The old merman waved his staff towards the row of strangers. “If you give any of these people a chance, we could discuss the _possibility_ of you being able to surface to moon bathe. You may thank Mana for the kind suggestion.”

Atem bit the tip of his tongue tightly, tasting blood.  
Fine. He would put up an act if it meant he could sneak away during a moon bath and hide somewhere on Seto Kaiba’s private shore until he appeared.  
Thank Ahti for Mana and her clever ways.

“Supervised moon bathing,” Solomon added, recognizing the fiery glint in the young king’s eyes. “Three Stealthsman and one warrior will accompany you.”

 _I’ll fight them all or bribe them_ , Atem thought furiously, forcing himself to keep his expression neutral.

“Fine.” Atem said coolly, raking his gaze through the row of merpeople, and he spied a face he remembered seeing in the last selection. The merman with medium blond hair and kind brown eyes.

“I choose him.” Atem said carelessly, pointing at the merman, and the man’s face fell dramatically as he was unable to hide his disappointment.

Setting his jaw in fury, Atem realized these people probably had not volunteered to be here, but had been drafted…either by Solomon or by heads of their colonies.

“Good choice. A young warrior in the making,” Solomon beamed, nodding in approval. “I give you both my blessing.”

 _Don’t…care,_ Atem growled to himself, and he rushed forward to grab the blond merman by the arm and drag him out of the throne room, only half-listening to his panicked stammering.

“H-Hey uh…n-nice to meet you, um…I’m Joey,” he said, floating awkwardly on his side as Atem continued to drag him through the hallways of the palace. “Wow, man, I never been here before, nice place, uh…C-Can we slow down? I don’t know—I mean, I’ve never done it with another guy before—”

Spying a deserted hallway, Atem floated to a stop and pushed the blond merman into the far corner, throwing a frantic look over his shoulder before he whispered, “You’re a warrior in training? Perfect.”

This seemed to incite even more panic in the man, and an odd accent from his colony was beginning to come through in his speech. “N-No please, I mean, I like you, man, I really do…b-but as a friend-friend! Not really looking smash fins if ya’ know what I mean—”

“We’re friends, right?” Atem demanded, narrowing his eyes and realizing this merman was misunderstanding completely. “By the Law of Brothers, we are friends, regardless of our colony or status. So help me. Joey, is your name? We are brothers, aren’t we?”

“Y-Yeah…we’re bros.” The man grew slightly pale and fell silent, gazing fearfully into Atem’s angular violet eyes which were narrowed in determination.

“Tell me the location of the nearest Chrysalis,” Atem demanded in a low whisper. “Or show me.”

Joey’s eyes widened in surprise and he swallowed visibly, his Adam’s apple jumping tightly in his throat.

“Why’dya wanna know that?” He asked hoarsely, gazing frantically over Atem’s shoulder and making sure no one was swimming by or eavesdropping. “You know I can’t tell you, right?”

“Yes, you can,” Atem said in a heated rush. “Its not like you’re bound by a pact or anything.” He was so close. So close. All this merman had to do was lead him to a Chrysalis.

“A-Actually we are...bound by a pact.” Joey said plainly, giving Atem an appraising look. “It’s one of the first things we do in the Initiation. We learn about Pact-making…and well, how to make one, safely.”

“Which means you how to break one, safely.” Atem argued cleverly and bared his fangs in a half-grin. “My warrior, Mahad, overheard my pact with the human and undoubtedly advised Solomon on how to help me break it. Now, you will break yours, and lead me to a Chrysalis.”

There was a tense silence, before Joey’s eyes widened and he pulled Atem into a crushing embrace, nearly squeezing the water out of his lungs as he said in a loud voice, “Ah, man! HAHAHA you’re the best! I can’t wait to smash tails with ya….”

Struggling angrily against the muscular arms wrapped around his body, Atem felt Joey hang onto him tightly and send him a private thought, _“One of yer palace guys is floatin’ by starin’. Not safe to talk here.”_

Joey released Atem with a firm smile, his brown eyes sparkling with camaraderie. “Aight. I’ll help ya out cuz that’s what I’m trained to do, right? I ain’t gonna be a strong warrior if I don’t know how to break my own pacts. But you gotta tell me why and everythin’.”

“Indeed, I will.” Atem smiled and felt a rush of gratitude and happiness for the first time in a long time. He threw himself forward and returned Joey’s embrace with equal vigor, hearing his new friend laugh happily in his arms.

_“Heads up. Another one of yer palace guys, comin’ right at us. Act normal and keep huggin’ me.”_

“Boys…boys, no need to hide here, whispering like you’re committing a crime,” Shada’s voice echoed mutely in the hallway, and Atem slowly turned around to face the Ambassador with a stiff smile.

Nowhere was safe inside his own home.

“Hahaha that’s funny, cuz we are definitely plotting to commit a crime,” Joey replied brashly with a fang-glinting grin, his accent changing fluidly.

Atem bit the inside of his lip and resisted the urge to elbow Joey in the stomach. His new friend was hilarious, and useful.  
Having a warrior by his side who wasn’t Mahad was going to make seeing Seto Kaiba a lot easier from now on.

“We’re going to talk in the garden, or somewhere in the outskirts of the palace,” Atem said vaguely, grabbing Joey by the arm and steering him down the hallway, keeping the pleasant smile plastered on his face for Shada.

“I’m not your Keeper. Go anywhere you like,” Shada replied with a huff, and Joey grew very still at his side while they watched him swim away.

“Who’s he?” Joey asked quietly while Atem led them down another winding hallway.

“The Royal Ambassador. He travels to other colonies in foreign waters, or on shore to fulfill peace treaties, and sometimes just to spread important news.”

“Cool.” Joey answered nonchalantly, craning his head around in a full circle to gaze at the mosaic artwork surrounding them every time they passed a new set of pillars leading to another hallway.

“Hey, Warrior 101 is if you’re in a hostile place where everyone is listening, don’t ever talk.” Joey said instantly, sounding very perceptive of Atem’s situation. “We should communicay in our thoughts from now on if you need my help…finding…that thing.”

  _Communicay,_ Atem mused, throwing Joey a playful smile over his shoulder, mimicking his accent.

 _I mean, ‘communicate’ ya know what I mean_ , Joey grumbled back to him, nodding a few palace maidens floating by and giggling at them. _Dang. Even the girls are prettier here._

 _Tell me the exact wording of your pact,_ Atem said instantly, not wasting a moment’s time, but his companion was already distracted. Joey had left his side and was floating after the two maidens, doing backflips over their heads while they giggled and tried to ignore him.

“Joey!” Atem cried out in dismay and dove forward to quickly drag his new friend away from the two women. “Focus! I was asking you a question.”

“And I saw some pretty girls! Ya don’t see ‘em like that where I come from,” Joey strained against Atem’s grip, waving energetically at the two girls who covered their mouths demurely and tossed their hair gracefully over their shoulders at him.

“C’mon lemme go talk to ‘em!” Joey whined, watching the two women swim away prettily, waving their fins at him after one last look over their shoulders. “One of them looks like my ideal maiden.”

“Oh, your ideal maiden, tell me all about her.” Atem said dryly, dragging Joey on his side once more, aiming for the stone bench behind the coral trees.

“Blonde and beautiful,” Joey declared, flipping himself on his back and lacing his hands behind his head, floating leisurely above the stone bench while Atem took a seat. “And she’s gotta have big jugs. Like huge. Enormous.”

“Jugs.” Atem repeated emotionlessly, not understanding what Joey meant.

“Breasts! _C’mon_ Your Majesty,” Joey grinned widely again, his fangs gleaming. “Alright now tell me what you like. Is it mermen? I mean, I heard something ’bout you...but I’d rather ask you directly.”

“What are people saying about me?” Atem asked, instantly on guard. “Tell me.”

“Ehhh…” Joey shook his head and smiled again this time with more sympathy. “Nah. It ain’t important.”

“Tell me, or I’ll fight you.” Atem fumed, and his friend threw his head back with a laugh.

“You wanna fight a warrior in training? What, are you doing some trainin’ too?”

“Please tell me.” Atem said, curling his fists over his fin with a mixture of curiosity and frustration. “I need to know.”

Joey nodded, and after a moment’s contemplation, he spoke carefully, “They say you’re lonely, and got no one be with, so while you got captured, a male human convinced you that ya’ll could be Mates or somethin’. I mean, I don’t blame the human for wantin’ to…and I don’t blame you for believin’ him neither.”

“That’s what people think happened?” Atem cried, wondering how the story got so twisted in such a short amount of time. “That’s not even remotely true!”

“Yeah see? Gutter talk,” Joey grinned, floating lower and giving him a nod. “So, ideal maiden?”

“I like men.” Atem said instantly, and Joey’s face fell slightly.

“Oh...ah. So, half of it is true,” Joey said awkwardly, and there was a tense silence. _And you wanna find a Chrysalis to go see him on land_.

Atem nodded, growing numb all over as he made a small confession to his new friend in thought-form.

_I initiated. I invited him into the water with me the first time. In fact, I forcefully dragged him in the water and wrapped my tail around his legs. He didn’t mind, and after a few moments, he kept asking for more—_

_YEAH YEAH LA LA LA I GOT IT! I GOT IT!_ Joey said, making a frantic X motion across his chest, his cheeks burning red. _Don’t wanna hear about mating stuff or you’re gonna make me horny._

Atem felt a laugh climbing up his chest and swallowed thinly.  
_Apologies…for that, Joey._

 _Nah, you’re good._ Joey flipped over on his back again and suppressed a yawn. _My pact is pretty air-tight now that I think about it. I got the words, ready?_

 _Yes._ Atem replied, sitting up straighter and listening intently.

_“I, Jounouchi Katsuya, swear on my blood, that as a Warrior, I will protect the mer-population with my life. I will be an upstanding citizen, and I will use the Chrysalis only when necessary, while keeping the locations a secret to any being who seeks its powers. I will withstand any torture, threats, and blackmail, because as a Warrior, it is my duty to protect what is sacred to me as a merperson, and to the people I love.”_

Atem swallowed thinly, growing cold all over. That was some solid wording. It was no wonder his pact with Seto Kaiba was easily broken.

 _That’s the part I say_ , Joey said, frowning in concentration. _There’s the part that the Chrysalis Guard says too._

 _How many guards_? Atem asked curiously, his stomach churning with dread at the answer he was about to receive.

 _Two rows of guards_ , Joey answered solemnly _. And not all of them are merpeople, so beware. Anyone who doesn’t know how fight might actually get killed trying to break through the barriers. There’s an enchantment pact around Chrysalis too, and the mermaids who cast it are all alive. If any one of them dies unnaturally, the terms of the pact are passed on to their next of kin immediately._

 _Oh Ra…_ Atem reeled, gazing down at his own clenched fists. So, it wasn’t an obstacle enough that the Chrysalis was hard to seek—it was heavily guarded with pacts and other sea creatures.

 _And apparently the Warrior Pact protects me from feeling pain if I ever am captured._ Joey said distantly, fanning his tail thoughtfully _. I’ll still bleed, but I won’t feel anything. If I break this pact, I put myself at risk if there’s ever a war. That much is clear._

“I can’t ask you to do that…” Atem breathed, numb all over with sorrow and despair, and he wondered if Mahad had broken his pact in order to access the Chrysalis twice in such a short amount of time.  
That thought made him sick to his stomach with guilt and worry.

 _Best advice…maybe you forget about him._ Joey said knowingly, glancing down at Atem as he hovered above his head. _What’s so good about him anyway? Ya know, humans only live about eight decades. Another warrior lesson: don’t bond with something that has a short lifespan._

 _I just…want to see him,_ Atem thought miserably, biting back the horrible burning of unshed tears building behind his eyes. _Even if it’s only from afar. I want him to know that I didn’t abandon him._

 _Ah, I get it. You’re attached to him like he’s your pet,_ Joey said, nodding, thinking he understood. _I’ll think about my pact and ask some buddies. Maybe they’ve already broken theirs and I’m the last one! Aw man…!_

Joey instantly looked crestfallen, and Atem felt a rush of endearment towards his new companion.

 _I can help you find your ideal maiden if you can help sneak me to the surface somehow. I don’t need the Chrysalis. That plan is too dangerous_ , _for me…and for you._ Atem thought fervently up at Joey, and his friend nodded.

 _You got yourself a deal,_ Joey said happily, looking very please and relieved. _Ya know, the rumor was that whoever got picked by you was gonna have to Mate with you with a happy smile on their face. This trade is way better._

 _That’s horrible_ , Atem replied furiously. _Who ordered that? I didn’t ask for that_!

 _And the benefits were immediate promotion to whatever rank I want_ , Joey continued ruthlessly, now realizing he could speak openly with the King.

_They were also offering riches to the family. I mean, I kinda need that more. I can work my way up in ranks, but my baby sister is still in School…and she gets teased about her hair all the time. I wanna bring her to a nice salon here in the Royal Village…but man, I saw those prices as I was swimming by…_

_Bring her with you next time,_ Atem said warmly with a soft smile _. Mana knows how to braid hair very well. She even knows how to color it with dyes made from kelp and algae._

 _Wow! For real? Noice,_ Joey grinned flashing Atem a thumbs-up. _She’ll be crazy happy to hear that. Hey, lemme grab some grub while I’m here, and then I gotta jet. Need’ta report for evening guard-duty in my hemisphere._

 _Food is always available for you in the Royal Dining Hall,_ Atem nodded and pointed over his shoulder at the white hallway behind several tall pillars decorated with streams of colored kelp. _Take whatever you want._

 _Sweet. See ya later alligator!_ The blond merman gave Atem an energetic wave and swam off with impressive speed towards the white hallway, leaving nothing but a trail of white bubbles behind him.

Atem smiled to himself and felt it fade quickly. Finding and accessing a Chrysalis was going to be ten times harder than he’d originally thought. He would also be breaking a thousand ancient mer-made rules in the process, along with endangering his new friend.

He couldn’t do that. As a King, it really was irresponsible.

“Atem!”

Atem jumped and spun around quickly, annoyed that Solomon had managed to sneak up on him.

“I was watching you two play from afar,” the old man chuckled, looking very pleased. “You see? Isn’t it nice to have someone the same age...and the same _species_ to play with?”

“We weren’t playing, we were only talking.” Atem replied indignantly, feeling a rush of resentment for the old man. “And he’s bringing his sister for his next visit. Please alert the guards at the front.”

“Well, that’s perfect!” The old man said genially, floating away with a happy smile on his face. “I’m glad this arrangement worked out so well.”

“It’s working out wonderfully.” Atem replied with a cold smile, and he kicked of the bench to swim away quickly, eager to get away from Solomon.

He dove behind a wide pillar for safety and breathed a soft sigh of annoyance.  
  
There was a way to reach Seto Kaiba at the surface.

He just needed to work harder to keep up appearances and make friends in the right places.

 _I can do it, because I am the King, damn it!_ Atem thought angrily, using Kaiba’s curse word fondly in his mind.

Cursing in his mind made him feel closer to Seto Kaiba, and doing it was fun. Atem was beginning to see why Kaiba cursed so often.

* * *

 _Dammit,_ Kaiba growled, gently lifting a dead rat out of the cage with his gloved hands and inspecting it carefully.

The body was still warm and all the other rats in the cage were panicking with high-pitched squeaks.

_“SHE DIED! OH, POOR HER!”_

_“She said she was feeling unwell for the past few days.”_

_“This guy put something in our water. It tastes funny. Everyone, don’t drink the water!”_

_“Then die of thirst! I need to drink water. There’s nothing else to drink here.”_  
  
Kaiba shut his eyes and felt a headache coming on as the guinea pigs in the neighboring cage saw the rat corpse in his hand and also began yelling.

 _“HE KILLED ONE! See, what did I tell you?! We’re all going to die.”_  
  
“All she said was ‘I don’t feel good!’”

_“Yeah, that’s how it starts. Then we’ll ALL start feeling bad and die from whatever she had!”_

_“I don’t want to feel unwell when I die…”_

Sighing heavily, Kaiba sealed the rat corpse in a plastic bag and decided he would take the time to dissect it…away from the cages, so the animals wouldn’t see him doing it.

The guinea pigs were still oinking and yelling over the glass at the rats, attempting to have a conversation with them.

_“Did he inject you with something?”_

_“He injected us with something, and we feel fine!”_

_“Drinking the water is what makes you sick!”_  
  
_“Is your water poisoned?!”_

Suppressing a tired groan, Kaiba tossed the rat into a jar of embalming liquid and decided to call it a day.

He peeled the gloves off his hands and marched towards the elevator, hearing it _ding!_

Mokuba was standing inside, with his finger still on the button, and he and wrinkled his nose, “Ew. What smells?”

“Why are you still in your uniform?” Kaiba retaliated with another question, unwilling to answer his brother. “Get changed.”

“No, I’m wearing it cuz I need to show you!” Mokuba said irritably, raising his leg and pointing at the lower cuff which rode up his shin. “I grew, and that’s annoyingly short. Can we call the tailor and get him to come over tonight? I don’t wanna go to school if it looks this bad.”

“Everyone is wearing the same thing. No one will notice.” Kaiba said monotonously, stepping into the elevator with a tired sigh. “Going up, bellboy.”

“Yeah, but I notice. And girls notice.” Mokuba said grumpily, letting go of the button and watching the elevator doors slide shut quickly. “And my sleeves are getting short too. I hate how tight the shoulders are feeling. C’mon Seto. I know you tailored your school jacket! Mr. Kato came over all the time during the summer…and he fixed your winter set at the same time too!”

“Yes, we’ll call him. I never said you couldn’t,” Kaiba sniffed, resting a hand on Mokuba’s shoulder and gazing fondly into his face, appreciating that they were almost nose-to-nose.

“Good, and I want help Yuu senpai fit into his uniform too,” Mokuba said obnoxiously, shrugging Seto’s hand off his shoulder. “He keeps the bullies off my back, and I feel like he’s the only guy who talks to me cuz he likes me. Not just to suck up to me.”

_He’s a great detective, even managing to punish every person in the group who wrote insults about me on the board._

“Invite him over and we’ll pay for it,” Kaiba said calmly, stepping out of the elevator once it reached the top, and he rolled his shoulders back, feeling achy all over.

“Cool, thanks. You’re best,” Mokuba grinned, and he stuck closely at Seto’s side, bouncing eagerly on his toes. “Hey, big bro. Can you also teach me how to drive?”

“No.” Kaiba said automatically, pausing at the door to his room, wondering why Mokuba was following him around so much. “We have a driver for a reason.”  
_  
AW MANNNN WHY?!?!? I KNEW HE WAS GONNA SAY NO!_

“Yeah but, _you_ drive!” Mokuba argued, starting to raise his voice. “Why can’t you let _me_ drive? I won’t drive any of the super cars! Just give me a shitty, slow car. All the cool and rich senpais at my school can drive! I’m the only rich kid who doesn’t drive!”

“Yeah, and they’re all 18,” Kaiba said testily, wishing Mokuba would leave him alone. “And they all have a death wish.”

“Give me slow car and I can start learning!” Mokuba fumed, placing his hand on the door and aiming to push his way into Seto’s room if Seto wouldn’t give him what he wanted. “I wanna drive.”

“Why? Why do you want to drive?” Kaiba asked impatiently, stepping into his room and blocking the way into it. “I’m tired, Mokuba. I was up all night—”

“Yeah playing with rats, we know,” Mokuba said nastily, folding his arms across his chest with a sneer. “I want a car that’s _mine_ , that _I can drive_ to go on dates _._ It’s not my fault you don’t understand, and don’t have anyone you wanna take on a date.”

Kaiba ground his teeth together tightly and felt a pang of anger.

“Yeah, got you where it hurts,” Mokuba smirked, noticing how Seto’s eyelid twitched. “C’monnnn…please?!”  
  
_Gosh, Seto is so uptight and unfair. The second he turned 18, he started driving, and he snuck out with a car all the time!_  
_I know he even convinced Isono to teach him! Why isn’t he letting me drive?_  
 _Dang. He’s seriously angry about my date comment? But it’s true!_

“I’ll think about it.” Kaiba growled, and he slammed the door in Mokuba’s face, hearing his brother’s thoughts cheering in his mind.

_Yessssssssss! That always means yes. That means he’s gonna get me a car, oh man oh man! I’m so excited! Aiko-chan is gonna be so impressed huehuheuhue…._

Sighing, Kaiba stripped off his shirt and tossed it aside, eager to take a hot shower.

He switched the water on and stepped inside, sighing deeply as the cold water cascaded over his skin, moisturizing it as well. Washing his hair vigorously, Kaiba silently congratulated himself for his own cleverness.

He had managed to fit a separate tank into the wall behind the shower last year during the renovations. Having filled that with liquid scales all while the tank kept the water below freezing, he could enjoy the sensation of a hot shower while still under the effects from the scales he was ingesting.

He discovered that this always helped his skin stay moist, at least until near the end of the day, when he started to feel dry again…which then meant it was time for another moisturizing cold shower.

Shutting the water off, Kaiba stood very still in the middle of the stall, waiting for the water to evaporate off his body.  
  
Mokuba was begging him for car and going out on dates.

How had three years passed by so quickly?

Stepping out of the shower and grabbing a towel for warmth, Kaiba wrapped it around his body and sighed, bending over the sink and inspecting his pale reflection in the mirror.

This was the face of a man who was one of the top-ten richest people in the world.

His cosmetics line had launched seamlessly at the end of last year and was well-received by skin-care enthusiasts in the beauty industry. The serum delivered anti-aging results that were undeniable, receiving raving reviews even from various cosmetic surgeons about how the cream produced natural-looking results which looked like well-placed botox injections or a tasteful facelift.

Following the serum’s release on the market in the past year, he had somehow become obscenely rich; richer than he had been before Atem’s capture, and his world changed for the better. People treated him differently.

At social functions, beautiful men and women alike would throw themselves at him, but Kaiba always turned them away with his disinterest.

It didn’t matter how pretty they were or how beautiful they made themselves up to be.  
They weren’t _Atem._

And no one understood that.

Sighing, Kaiba strode out of the bathroom to get dressed, thinking he would visit the basement again, for old times’ sake. With too much money and nowhere to spend it, he had converted it into a luxurious pool deck with an accompanying hot tub and mini-bar, but there was nothing he could do to the room that would make him forget that Atem had once been there, waiting for him at the edge of the pool with a seductive smile.

Toweling his hair dry, Kaiba stood in front of the full-length mirror by his walk-in closet.  Next month was his birthday, and Mokuba was going to be on winter break in a few months.

He kept catching stray thoughts from Mokuba thinking about wanting to travel to Europe, or “somewhere warm this winter”, so he had his work cut out for him.

Shrugging on a shirt and some pants, Kaiba sat down at his desk and pried open his laptop, mentally preparing himself to buy Mokuba a car, and to book tickets for winter vacation.

* * *

**Author’s note:**

Time lapse chapter. Beginning of the chap, few months pass and both men cope with it in different ways: kaiba throws himself in his work and searches fervently for answers while Atem kinda does the same thing, looking for an out any way he can.

Ahhh the tragedyyyy. *throws arm dramatically over my eyes* (im sorry, I love tragic romances and wanted to challenge myself writing a time-lapse-y story that makes sense somehow)  
  
but atem makes a new friend (joey loloolol)

And mokuba is seen physically growing up here!  
  
expound your thoughts in the comments below and yell at me to your heart’s content. I’ll keep writing.

Xo  
ugli


	22. Chapter 22

Kaiba bent over the dead rat and gently pried its skin off the bone with tweezers, wrinkling his nose when he saw that the rat had died from a rupture in its bowels.

His blood ran cold as he wondered if ingesting the scales would do the same to his own bowels. He was a bigger specimen and had been ingesting the scales for the same amount of time this rat had been alive, which was…three and a half years.

The rupture in the bowels could also be a natural cause of death, because this rat was from the control group, and rats only lived for about three years anyway.

But, just in case this was going to cause internal bleeding or bowel irritation, Kaiba took this as a personal warning and decided he would inject the scales directly into his own bloodstream from now on.

The rats and guinea pigs from the injection group were totally fine. In fact, they showed no signs of aging.

The injection group also complained a lot less.

The water feeder group always complained about feeling unwell, and he could hear them whining, even now.

_“I hate how I feel right now…”_

_“Do you feel like dying? You haven’t died yet…”_

_“No, but when I eat food, it does weird things inside my stomach…”_

_“That’s why I’ve stopped eating…see? I’ve lost weight.”_

Rats and guinea pigs didn’t have a vomit reflex, so Kaiba silently thanked his stars that he could understand the animals when they spoke. It was actually extremely helpful, and the injection group had gotten oddly complacent.

They were eating too much, talking too much, sleeping too much…basically _living their best life,_ and Kaiba was growing slightly envious of them.

He had personally managed to curb the nausea through sheer power of will and forced himself to grow accustomed to being nauseous in the mornings and evenings, right before he took a dose of scales.

He also adjusted his eating schedule to make sure his stomach was empty before he vomited, and he was aware that this was the unhealthy beginnings of a trained eating disorder.

Time to start injecting.

No time like the present.

Grabbing a fresh syringe from the plastic packet, Kaiba rolled his sleeve back quickly, steeling himself to do it before he changed his mind out of fear.

Atem. Think of Atem.

He stuck the tip of the needle into the vial of scales and drew the liquid into the syringe, hating that only half of the contents filled the needle. This meant to get the regular amount he had been used to consuming for the past few years, he needed _two_ injections, or a bigger needle, to get the entire vial inside himself.

Growling angrily, Kaiba patted his arm with two fingers and felt his skin sting and swell. A blue vein showed faintly through his skin, so he wasted no time gently inserting the needlepoint into it, gritting his teeth through the pain and slowly pushing the liquid into his veins.

Nothing happened.

There was no icy cold or any physical change he could immediately feel.

Slightly curious, Kaiba stabbed the needle back into the vial to draw out the remaining portion of liquified scales and hastily injected it into his other arm with ease.

What was the point in being so nervous? This couldn’t be any worse than, say, heroin or meth…could it?

Standing up slowly, Kaiba eyed the clock, knowing it was late-night, and was expecting nausea around 11PM.

To his great relief, he felt fine, and it was 10:30PM.

This was great. He decided to add this into the log and inject himself twice every night at this time.

Stretching lightly, Kaiba suppressed a yawn and decided he would finally get a good night’s sleep, while hopefully dreaming of Atem.

* * *

Atem was dreaming.

He was lying on a soft, sandy beach while Seto Kaiba lay beside him, gently caressing his face with his pale hand, looking deep into his eyes, his mouth moving as he spoke, but his voice was drowned out by the crashing waves.

“What is it?” Atem asked, frowning and nuzzling his nose against the human’s cheek, longing for a kiss. “I can’t hear you.”

Kaiba mouth moved again, and his brows furrowed in frustration.

“Atem.”

The merking smiled warmly. “Why are you just saying my name?”

“Atem!”

Mana’s voice was coming out of Kaiba’s mouth, and Atem jerked awake furiously, glaring at his friend who was hovering at his bedside in the dark, her eyes wide with excitement.

“What, Mana. What? I was having such a nice dream.”

“Moon bathing!” Mana whispered happily, reaching for his hand and giving it a squeeze. “The court voted 5 out of 7. You can come moon bathing with me, unsupervised!”

“Oh let me guess, the two disapproving votes are from Solomon and Shadi,” Atem said dryly, his mood falling instantly, but Mana shook her head.

“Actually, it was Isis and Solomon. They’re afraid you might sneak away to see the human, but we’re going to be on an opposite shore.”

“An opposite shore?” Atem wondered, letting Mana pull him out of bed and through the hallways of the palace. “Where?”

“Cathedral Beach,” Mana replied happily, pulling the king past the palace gates and nodding at the two sleepy guards standing by the pillared entryway.

“I’ve never been there…” Atem said anxiously, trying to recall where he had heard the name before. “Wasn’t a mermaid Sighted there last century? That shore was banned for the following five decades. I remember father issued the decree.”

“The ban has been lifted for the past two decades,” Mana said mildly, waving at a couple of mermaids who were several yards above them in the water. “Friends!”

Atem felt Mana let go of his hand and she zoomed towards her friends above him.

Glancing around fervently, he checked for any guards that could be following him, but he saw no one.

Perhaps now he could sneak away….

The, out of the corner of his eye, he saw two Stealthswomen flanking two mermaids who appeared to be queens from another colony, and Atem’s heart sank.

If news of his punishment had spread far and wide, it was possible that other guards would be looking his way.

 _“Atem! Come up here!”_ Mana’s voice echoed in his thoughts. _“Stay with us or you’ll get lost! I promised Mahad…”_

Sighing, Atem kept his arms tight at his sides as he swam upwards quickly, ignoring the whispering from other mermaids around him.

A trip to the surface was already a welcome relief.  
He could think about jeopardizing his own future again with Seto Kaiba, later, when he popped his head up for air.

* * *

Kaiba trudged through the sand with his shoes in one hand, and phone in the other, his heart heavy with anxiety and sorrow.

The sand here was different. It was finer, and a bit firmer, sporting a beautiful white sheen. It somehow wasn’t sticking to his skin even though his legs were still slightly damp from accidentally stepping in a shallow pool earlier, causing him to almost twist his ankle.

Mokuba wasn’t with him because he had wanted to take his girlfriend downtown to enjoy the city nightlife, so Kaiba found himself alone on a beach again, but this time, on another continent.

Pausing mid-step, Kaiba closed his eyes and took a deep breath before opening them again.

He threw his head back to gaze up at the violet sky, which was slowly melting into a deep indigo, sprinkled with sparkling stars and a glowing full moon.

The view here was almost heavenly. Large rock formations curved magnificently up from the sand, creating little caves and deep curving cavities.

 _I’m in the right place,_ Kaiba thought faintly, continuing to trudge along. 

It was warm here this time of year, and in his fervid research, he’d discovered an avid mermaid-sighting blog, listing this location as a mystical starting point for any human who wanted a chance of a lifetime.

It was this beach—Praia Das Catedrais…or Playa de las Catedrales, whatever the people called it here.

He didn’t speak Spanish and had been relying on his phone translator to get by, although it was pretty obvious to the locals that he was a tourist anyway.

Kaiba snapped out of his inner musings and stopped mid-step once more to appreciate the view again.

Breathtaking. The water was clear, and even the air tasted different.

The roaring of the waves echoed magnificently every time they washed into a narrow grotto, and Kaiba felt truly alone.

He had passed a warning sign a few yards back, depicting slippery rocks and sudden deep water, but he didn’t care.

He needed to be here.

The blogger had claimed she’d spoken with a mermaid in a cavern here, and Kaiba was sure if he could hold a conversation with a mermaid, she could tell him where Atem was. After all, he was a king, wasn’t he? How big was the ocean and how big was Atem’s reach?

He didn’t know.  
The blogger could’ve been making it up for all he knew.

Sighing, Kaiba sidestepped another shallow puddle and weaved through another series of towering curved rocks. It really was like walking into a cathedral on the ocean….

Closing his eyes, Kaiba swayed slightly on the spot, feeling an odd rush of nausea which quickly passed, and he leaned against the multi-colored rocks, pulling himself together.

He ran his hand down the grooved crevice, marveling at the natural steps in the stone and the beautiful colors. Mermaids loved this shit, right?

Kaiba gazed apprehensively into the sandy trail before him. There was no water in sight. He needed to turn around.

The waves crashing against the rock were deafening, but Kaiba swore he heard a human voice whispering underneath the sound of the waves, and he froze in place, listening intently.

_“Let’s gather here…”_

_“Yes, this is a good spot. I don’t see or hear anyone…”_

_“It’s mealtime for humans. All the sightseers are on the far end.”_

_“There was a sign…I couldn’t read it…”_

They weren’t speaking English or Japanese, but Kaiba realized he could understand them somehow…in his mind.

Feeling a rush of heated excitement, Kaiba dropped his shoes and left his phone buried beside them in the sand. His hearing had improved so much in the past few months, he could detect the audible electronic whine from his phone, which had proven to be quite useful whenever he misplaced it somewhere in his lab.

Climbing through the narrow rocks, Kaiba tried his best to remain quiet. If merpeople could hear as well as he could, this meant he needed to be even quieter.

Reaching the end of the winding rock pathway, Kaiba let his feet sink into the shallow pool of warm water.

He stopped breathing when he heard more voices.  
There were quiet whispers…coming from somewhere to his left.

_“I feel bad. Should I go check on him…?”_

_“No, don’t. He’ll be fine. Men don’t care that much about moon bathing anyway….”_

Kaiba’s heart sank rapidly when he heard this. So, “moon bathing” was a mermaid-exclusive activity? No mermen liked to moon bathe?

“No, I guess not, dammit,” he growled to himself before he clapped a hand over his mouth, cursing his own stupidity.

Shit. Shit. Shit. He had been heard.

There were simultaneous gasps of surprise from behind the rock.

Panic and adrenaline rushed through his blood. Thinking quickly, Kaiba stripped off his shirt and tossed it aside while he sank to his knees in the shallow pool, rapidly raking sand over his legs to hide them.

The mermaids sounded close, and if they were nearby—

“A man!” a voice gasped, and Kaiba jerked his head up, seeing an eerily beautiful face gazing at him through the crevice in the rock on his left.  
  
Oh….fuck. They had been on the other side the entire time. Fuck. Fuck.  
How fucking terrible and embarrassing….

“No, no need to be embarrassed!” she cried, moving aside and letting her friend peek through the crevice too, and the women giggled pleasantly.

“This area is for us women, merman,” the second mermaid said bossily, tossing her blonde hair over her shoulders. “You can go join the only other male who is ten pools away. We won’t look, and give you dignity while you crawl away.”

Kaiba grit his teeth, feeling a rush of resentment towards them. Wow, okay, fine.

“Good, he agrees. He’s so embarrassed, he can’t even speak!” The women laughed, and Kaiba glared furiously at the crevice.

He made violent splashing noises with his hands while standing up and shaking the sand from his pants.

He was being kicked out by the women here, and apparently the men were ten pools away. How far was that?

“Just get to the beach and swim there,” another mermaid answered him, her voice echoing pleasantly in the curved grotto. “You and him can enjoy each other’s company as the only men who moon bathe!”

 _Yeah, whatever,_ Kaiba growled a response in his mind as he hastily climbed back over the slippery rock. Ten pools. Great directions, very helpful.

Mana peered into the crevice again, surprised to see that the man had disappeared.

“That was quick,” she commented, and her two friends gave her lazy smiles.

“Indeed. Did you hear his thoughts? He was so angry and embarrassed.”

 Mana nodded stiffly and sank lower into the pool, her stomach churning with a strange feeling.

That man was beautiful, more beautiful than any merman she had ever seen.

“Oh, stop hankering after him,” her friend nudged her playfully. “Pretty mermen are all Pure and stuck up, like King Atem.”

“Atem does not act Pure and he is not stuck up!” Mana cried, rushing to Atem’s defense, but her friends had already changed the topic, chatting happily amongst themselves about their kelp dyes.

Kaiba threw his wet shirt around his neck and weaved through the towering rocks, listening intently for more voices, but all he could hear was the steady drip and echo of water rushing in from the ocean.

He passed two wide tide pools and his heart raced with excitement.

Picking up his pace, Kaiba took steady, leaping strides over the sand and slowed to a halt. He had passed seven pools. Where were the other three?

Now furious, Kaiba scanned the rocky caves and ventured into the closest one.

It was a shallow dead end, and the water came up to his thighs.

Turning around, Kaiba walked several paces more until the rock made a sharp turn. He followed the narrow crevice only to find another dead end, and the water only reached his ankles.

This was nine “pools” now, so if Atem or another merman wasn’t going to appear, he was marching back to the mermaids and giving them the scare of a lifetime.

Stalking through the wet sand and making as much noise as he could, Kaiba entered another dark grotto, his eyes adjusting very quickly. The rocks were slanted in on either side, and the water in this shallow pool came up to his stomach.

Sighing, Kaiba leaned tiredly against the rock and cursed his own bad luck.

This was ten pools. Did he want to go further and keep checking?

His calves were aching from his long treks through the sand, and the hot water was very calming against his skin.

 _I’ll take a fucking break before I kill myself_ , he thought grumpily, sitting ungracefully in the water and making a large splash around himself.

He gazed out of the tiny cave, seeing miles of ocean before him, obscured slightly by other walls of rock while another warm wave came washing in.

Kaiba settled into the sand and draped his shirt behind his back to keep his skin from scraping on the rough surface, allowing himself to relax just a tiny bit.

He could see why mermaids enjoyed this.  
It was very spa-like.  
The wind was fresh and warm…the water was clean, and the perfect temperature….

Every time a new wave came rushing into the grotto, the sand was disturbed around his legs, causing him to sink deeper and deeper into it.

Warm and content, Kaiba began to feel drowsy as his eyelids grew heavy. This was nice. Now if only Atem was here.

Atem was swimming frantic laps up and down the beach, feeling extremely pent up and frustrated. He had briefly contemplated swimming to Kaiba’s private shore but realized the distance would kill him if he swam without pause. His fins would fall off from exhaustion and his punishment would be lengthened because he had clearly tried to violate a rule.

Curling his fists at his sides and feeling his claws dig into his skin, the mer-king decided to swim back to his pool.

It was pointless trying to escape. It was smarter to just bide his time and find the perfect opportunity to sneak out…with the help of Joey and his warrior friends.

Beating his tail heavily through the water, Atem tried to appreciate the change of scenery. It was nice here. The water tasted wonderful, and the moon was full, casting its dreamy glow on the wet rocks.

Popping his head up for air, Atem swam slowly through the shallow water, pausing at the entrance of the cave when he saw another merman napping in his ideal spot.

Extremely annoyed, Atem dove forward quietly, thinking he hadn’t seen another man travel with them…so perhaps this was a stranger from a nearby colony.

“Hey!” Atem called, hovering at the entrance of the cave, fanning water towards the sleeping merman. “Get out of my spot! Go find your own.”

Kaiba’s heart skipped a beat, and he opened his eyes, wondering if he was hallucinating, because there was a spiky-haired figure hovering angrily at the front of the cave, bobbing gently up and down against the waves.

“….Atem!” Kaiba cried hoarsely, so stunned, he couldn’t move. He had let the waves bury him with sand up to his waist and digging himself out was going to be a chore.

“ _King_ Atem to you,” Atem said coldly, inching closer to inspect the intruder, and his heart nearly stopped in his chest when he thought he recognized the familiar face.

The merman had pale glowing skin, with a crop of silky light brown hair, paired with high, slanted cheekbones, a strong jaw, and almond eyes…the color which he couldn’t discern. It was too dark to see properly, but he could see enough.  
This merman looked like…Seto Kaiba!

Kaiba blinked rapidly, hearing Atem’s rapid stream of thoughts and wondered if he ought to feel flattered or offended. Atem thought he was a fish!  
  
“Well, you look…attractive enough,” Atem sniffed arrogantly, swishing his tail and leaning against the curve of the rock, an arm’s reach away from the mysterious merman. “You may stay.”

“Seriously?” Kaiba said, growing numb all over as he slowly began to brush the sand off his legs. “Are you blind?”  
He was going to jump on Atem, and never let go.  
The mer-king looked so beautiful in the moonlight, it was almost eerie. His dark skin seemed to glow, and gold jewelry was sitting perfectly in his tri-colored hair.

Atem heard this thought, and inched away nervously, eyeing the cave’s exit, “I’m not interested in mating with you. Please don’t come near me.”

Kaiba’s mouth grew terribly dry, and his stomach wrenched painfully with anger and lust. “What the fuck! After three years of not showing your face, that’s what you want to say to me?”

Atem nodded weakly, giving the handsome merman a small smile, “Have we met before in a procession somewhere? You look like…a human I know from another shore. I’m sorry, I don’t remember you.”

Kaiba’s mouth dropped open in disbelief. He listened to the rapid pounding of his heart in his ears before he let out a snarl and rose out of the sand to lunge at Atem, claws extended, and his arms outstretched.

Caught off guard by the sudden movement, the wind was knocked out of Atem the second he was pinned to the wall of the cave, his back scraping painfully against the stone while the handsome merman’s face hovered above him, nose-to-nose, his lips curved upwards in a deranged sneer.

“Human from another shore?” Kaiba repeated venomously, baring his teeth and curling his fingertips around Atem’s gold-adorned shoulders, shaking with rage and disbelief. “I _am_ that human.”  
This was real, right? Was this really happening?  
There was no way he had been _forgotten,_ right?  
Because he had spent every waking moment chasing knowledge, clues, and information pertaining to mer-things, and here was Atem, sitting underneath him with a startled look on his face.

“Seto…Kaiba?” Atem breathed, his chest constricting with pain as he raked his gaze up and down Kaiba’s face, and he felt a pair of knees give his hips a painful squeeze.

“Yes. Who the fuck else?” Kaiba growled, his hand sliding up the king’s arm, past all the golden armbands, up his neck and stopping to cup his cheeks tightly. “Fuck you.” And he pressed his lips down across Atem’s slightly parted ones for a passionately furious kiss, enjoying the way his stomach clenched and dipped with happiness when the merman reciprocated joyfully by throwing his arms around his body and pulling him close, his tongue sliding warmly over his teeth and swirling happily at the roof of his mouth.

 _Oh, I’ve missed this!_ Atem cried ecstatically to himself, thrashing his tail energetically between Kaiba’s legs, wanting to feel ankles locked around his back once more. _I want him around me! Closer! Harder than before! How is he here?_  
_Is this a dream? Am I seeing things?_  
 _Did I eat a bad sea urchin? It’s causing me to see visions, but I don’t care._  
 _I know Seto Kaiba is supposed to be on another shore._  
 _This can’t be right…_

Kaiba pulled breathlessly out of the kiss and gazed down into Atem’s half-lidded angular eyes, now understanding why Atem hated his thoughts the first few times they had sex.

“You don’t believe me.” Kaiba said plainly, hovering his lips over Atem’s forehead as the merman ran his hands rapidly up and down his toned chest and torso, touching him all over with an odd sense of desperation.

“You’re real? Are you real?” Atem whispered, his head spinning with a mixture of arousal and incredulity. “You feel real. This isn’t a dream! This can’t be—”

“I flew here,” Kaiba said seriously, not wanting to talk anymore. “Airplanes and shit. Now shut up and give me three years worth of sex, right the fuck now.”

Stunned speechless, Atem nodded happily and pointed at the back of the cave. “We can’t be seen…or heard. The mermaids—”

“They’re ten pools away, they won’t hear anything,” Kaiba insisted, grinding his hips forwards energetically and enjoying the thickness of Atem’s heated tail between his thighs. “Come on. Now. Less talking. How long can you stay?”

“Forever. I’m staying with you here, forever.” Atem grinned.

Kaiba stood suddenly and dragged the mer-king heavily by the arm towards the back of the water-logged cave.

“I’m a prisoner in my own home! I’m miserable!” Atem whispered hoarsely, tears stinging the corners of his eyes as he gazed lovingly up at Kaiba.

Perhaps this _was_ a hallucination from a bad sea urchin.  
This Kaiba spoke like a merperson. Ten pools? What human used words like that?

“ _I’m_ miserable because you left me,” Kaiba said robotically, pushing Atem against the rock and sitting firmly back down on his tail. He draped his arms over the merman’s tanned shoulders and pressed his forehead tightly against Atem’s spiky blond bangs, unable to contain himself.

“Do you love me?”

“Yes.” Atem replied instantly, without hesitation, and his heart swelled with happiness as he threw himself forward into Kaiba’s strong embrace, relishing in the warmth of Kaiba’s lips, and the softness of Kaiba’s hands as they gave his upper arms slow, loving squeezes while their tongues danced together in a happy greeting. Kaiba tasted…wonderfully fresh. His breath was light, and there was a sinful tang in his breath that was bitter at the end.

Breathless with ecstasy, Kaiba gently dragged open mouthed kisses down Atem’s neck and felt the merman sigh happily beneath him.

He listened intently to Atem’s thoughts, understanding that the merman liked even the tiniest details about him, and that was extremely flattering to hear.

Atem rested his hands on the edge of Kaiba’s belt, and gave it a solid tug before feeling cold hands fumble above his, and the belt came free.

“Can I…have it?” Atem asked breathlessly between the shower of lustful kisses, and Kaiba’s voice in his mind was oddly clear.

_Yes, take whatever you want._

 Nodding happily, Atem wrapped his arms around Kaiba’s neck and sighed contentedly, melting under Kaiba’s touch.

Kaiba ran his palms eagerly up and down Atem’s length, shivering with excitement. He then hastily kicked his own pants off, intent on sitting directly onto Atem, but to his frustration, tanned hands pressed against his thighs, and the merman blinked prettily at him.

“Slow down!” Atem cried. He was trying to savor every moment, but Kaiba wanted to rush, and rush, to a point where everything became a blur. “Let me touch you…”

Kaiba stiffened, but nodded reluctantly, unable to stop himself from trembling with a mixture of happiness and anticipation. His mind had gone numb and his body was hot. His chest was tight, and his ears were ringing with a strange noise as Atem wrapped both his hands around his arousal and gave it a tentative squeeze, sending an electric jolt of heated pleasure running up and down his legs.

 _Will it fit inside me?_ Atem wondered faintly, and Kaiba froze, feeling a rush of anger when he heard this. He wasn’t in the mood to be a giver. He wanted to be fucked…hard. Was that seriously too much to ask for?

“Very well, very well,” Atem said hastily, gently nudging Kaiba off his tail and throwing the human an amused smile. “I hear you. Fucked hard.”

Kaiba grit his teeth and suppressed another shiver. Yeah. Damn straight.

Atem surged forward and pushed Kaiba down onto the sandy floor of the watery cave, nudging the human’s legs apart with his hand and flashing him a fanged grin. “Let me have a taste…so I can know it’s really you.”

“It is me!” Kaiba hissed, but before he could protest further, Atem dipped his head down underwater between his legs, and Kaiba threw his head back when a wonderful, searing heat engulfed his core and a playful tongue slid suggestively up along his shaft, giving his head a firm suck before consuming him fully once more, sending rapid waves of pleasure reverberating up his spine.

Streams of bubbles and spiky red hair were barely visible underneath the water between his legs, and Kaiba could barely keep his eyes open to watch and save this moment in his mind.

This was…heavenly.  
  
Finally. How many fucking years had he waited for this?

A hot tongue traveled boldly lower, and Atem frowned when his chin hit the sand. Kaiba was sitting too much at an upward angle. Perhaps he needed to be lower?

Hearing this thought, Kaiba obediently inched himself down, scooting forward and gently spreading his legs wider, not caring that the back of his head was scraping painfully against the rock. If Atem was going to lick his asshole, he’d happily die ten times over to relish in the feeling over and over again.

Smirking to himself, Atem buried his nose underneath Kaiba’s soft balls, flicking his tongue out over the curved entrance, feeling it clench and tense deliciously every time the tip of his tongue passed over it, very pleased to hear Kaiba’s frenzied thoughts.

_Oh fuck! Please…lower please! Holy fucking shit, yes…!_

Grabbing Kaiba’s thighs, Atem pulled them closer to his shoulders and continued in earnest, his own arousal throbbing uncomfortably as the human’s knees tightened over his ears almost painfully, and another stream of ecstatic thoughts filled his consciousness.

_Shove your tongue in there. Do it. Now, do it now!_

Without hesitating, Atem obeyed mindlessly and thrust his tongue forward into Kaiba’s heat, growing numb all over with ecstasy when Kaiba’s legs tightened around his head once more. He pulled Kaiba closer to himself and lovingly continued, even going as far as licking the soft divide between Kaiba’s balls, hearing another delirious shout in his mind.

_F-Fuck! His mouth feels better than his…_

Kaiba couldn’t breathe. The tide had risen, and the water which had been at his chest was now past his neck. Every time Atem pulled him upwards, his head slid lower against the rock, and a wave would rush over his face, almost drowning him, but he didn’t care. Atem’s hands were hot on his thighs, and his tongue was ramming stiffly inside of him, each thrust causing a violent curl of pleasure in his stomach.  
  
Itching with lust, Atem couldn’t hold back anymore, and quickly lowered Kaiba’s legs, pressing his stomach tightly against the back of the CEO’s ass, barely managing to say, “I’m putting myself here…” before he shoved himself forward and thrust his arousal into Kaiba’s tightness, dimly registering that the human’s head had disappeared underneath the water. Atem shivered happily and savored the way Kaiba clenched repeatedly around his length as he curled himself forward, trying to hold off an orgasm when Kaiba’s hands grabbed at his waist and pulled him forward so strongly, he almost lost his balance in the sand.

Enjoying the thick, burning heat curling inside of him, Kaiba didn’t care that his head was fully submerged and that he couldn’t breathe anymore.  
Atem’s lips were everywhere on his body.  
First, softly grazing his neck, then they traveled across each of his nipples.  
  
There was a sharp sting as Atem grazed his fangs over each peak, and Kaiba spasmed happily, holding his breath until his lungs couldn’t take it before opening his mouth to gasp for air, fully prepared to swallow a lungful of water, but to his extreme surprise, all he got was another gulp of air.

Panicking slightly, Kaiba held his breath again and reached up to grab ahold of Atem’s forearms, giving them a powerful squeeze, but the merman didn’t let him up. Instead, he surged forward and pulled Kaiba into a fiery kiss, his silky tongue curling inside his mouth sensually while his heated tentacle continued to drive him over the edge.

Unable to protest, Kaiba let wave after wave of overwhelming bliss wash over him as he wrapped his arms around Atem’s neck to pull him closer, and letting himself sink deeper downwards, feeling the back of his head hitting the sandy bottom with a soft thunk while Atem’s overjoyed thoughts filled his mind.

_This is better than all of my dreams! He is beneath me! His legs are around me! I’ll never forget this!_

Kaiba instinctively tightened his legs around the king’s hips and bucked himself upwards playfully, his eyes stinging from the sand floating around his head, and he kept his eyes shut, his lungs bursting for air again.

 _I need to breathe soon…_ Kaiba thought faintly, digging his nails into Atem’s skin, wondering why the merman was ignoring his requests for air. _Let me up!_

 _Please, hold on a moment longer…like this!_ Atem insisted selfishly, pressing Kaiba’s shoulders down into the sand and curling protectively over his body while he gave Kaiba several more furious thrusts, enjoying Kaiba’s body moving steadily underneath him with every one of his movements.

The human’s face was beautiful underwater in the dim moonlight. His eyes were closed, and his silky light brown hair floated angelically around his face every time the water was disturbed around them.

Gently caressing Kaiba’s cheek, Atem bent down to press his lips against Kaiba’s slightly parted ones, intent on letting him up for air after this kiss, but to his surprise, strong arms locked around his neck, and their soft kiss lasted an eternity.

Atem sighed contently and felt himself melting. Warm hands roamed up and down his sides, and Kaiba’s legs loosened around his waist.

Kaiba took another tentative inhale, and felt sediment go up his nose, but aside from that, he could breathe normally.  
This discovery filled him to the brim with happiness, and he wasted no time, arching himself higher against Atem’s muscular body and demanded in his mind, _“Do it harder. Grab my legs and fuck me against this rock. I can take it.”_

 Tense with worry, Atem shook his head and began to withdraw. He had not planned on orgasming inside of Kaiba, because of what he had read about mer-semen in the books.

 _What the fuck have you been reading? JUST FUCK ME!_ Kaiba yelled angrily, sitting up in a flash and attempting to push Atem down, but an oncoming wave rushed into the cave and his hand slipped off Atem’s shoulders.

“Mer-semen is poisonous to you! It’ll kill you!” Atem said anxiously, and his chest constricted with a strange feeling when a strong hand suddenly wrapped around the base of his arousal and gave it a stifling squeeze, followed by several rapid upward pumps while Kaiba expertly bucked his hips down onto Atem’s tip with practiced precision.

Kaiba snickered playfully and pushed back against the rock for support as he felt Atem shiver reluctantly between his legs, and cum. He enjoyed the rush of heat streaming upwards inside him and Kaiba released the merman’s tentacle with a triumphant smile.

There.

Horrified, Atem stayed rooted in the sand, swaying as an oncoming wave washed into the cave again. Wh-What…had just happened?!

  _That’s what you get, for holding back the entire time._ Kaiba thought spitefully, thumping his heels impatiently against Atem’s lower back, addressing him directly. _You already did it once. What’s ten more? Come on!_

Slowly composing himself, Atem threw caution to the wind and began to fuck Kaiba in earnest. Kaiba threw his head back and lost himself completely, keeping his arms above his head as a barrier to keep his head from repeatedly hitting the rock every time Atem thrust into him. He was being filled to the brim, again and again. He had orgasmed already but was now lost in an anguishing limbo between too much sensitivity and pleasure.

Gritting his teeth, Kaiba accidentally opened his eyes in the sandy water when he felt Atem convulse involuntarily, and another hot rush of fluids shot up inside him.

There seemed to be no end in sight.  
Atem would drag his hands down his chest, before surging forward for a kiss, before bucking upwards and cumming passionately into his hole, and Kaiba let out a strangled gasp, tightening his legs around Atem’s waist, encouraging him to continue.

Atem shut his eyes and his mind hummed wonderfully with joy.  
Kaiba’s arms around his body was all he needed.  
Sometimes, after a particularly loving thrust, Kaiba would rake his hands down his sides and grip his hips, his mind begging for him to hold the position until he couldn’t anymore; he would cum thickly, his head spinning and his vision turning white, and after composing himself, he would do it all over again.

 _H-How many fucking times can he cum?!_ Kaiba reeled privately, beginning to feel sore. This was strange, uncharted territory, but Kaiba was enjoying himself too much to keep count.

Atem’s arms were aching, and he slowed his pace, curling his tentacle out of Kaiba’s hole and draping himself lightly over Kaiba’s half-erect dick, contenting himself with stroking Kaiba’s length with his own, enjoying the way Kaiba’s hands kept his cheek pressed against his chest, his heartbeat thundering wildly in his ear.

Amazing.  
Kaiba had stayed submerged for him, and they had finally made love in a comfortable position.

Kaiba shuddered pleasurably as Atem’s dick curled around the tip of his arousal and gave it a tortuous squeeze.

 _That fucking hurts,_ Kaiba hissed, locking his ankles around the base of Atem’s tail and turning himself onto his side, feeling extremely worn out, but content.

The merman was still stroking his dick teasingly, and Kaiba found that he could barely remain conscious while Atem showered the side of his face with gentle kisses as each coming wave brought a rush of warmth around them.

Atem slowly withdrew and nuzzled his nose into the crook of Kaiba’s pale neck, planting a soft kiss on his collarbone, feeling very satisfied while he also began to drift off.

Another wave brought fresh water into the cave and Atem sighed happily, thinking this was the most heavenly experience he’d ever had in his entire life.  
Lovemaking under the full moon, after a nice bath, and the warm water had finally filled the cave…

Atem’s eyes shot open and fear stabbed through his core like a cold knife when he realized…. They were fully submerged!

“Kaiba! You need air!” He cried, untangling himself from the human’s grasp and shooting up to the surface, attempting to pull Kaiba up with him, but to his horror, his fingertips touched the jagged roof of the cave when he got to the very top.

There was no more air. Water had completely filled the cave.

“Kaiba—!”

 _Shut up! Let me sleep,_ Kaiba growled, yanking his arm out of Atem’s grasp and sinking slowly to the bottom again. The sand was so fucking soft, it was like laying on a wool blanket.

“You can’t sleep in the water! You’ll die!” Atem shouted, giving Kaiba’s shoulder a vigorous shake, and he contemplated carrying Kaiba to shore in his arms. He would have to wedge the CEO’s limp body through the rocks surrounding this cave…

Kaiba opened his eyes tiredly and managed to throw his legs around the base of Atem’s tail again, dragging the merman to the bottom with him with effort, before leaning up to land a playful bite on Atem’s neck, hearing him yelp frantically in response.

 _Look, I’m fine,_ Kaiba said lazily in his thoughts, making himself comfortable in the sand and turning onto his side again, keeping Atem trapped beside him. _I guess it worked after all._

Still mildly frightened, Atem curled his claws against Kaiba’s bare chest, gazing up at his sleeping face in the dim moonlight, asking desperately, “What worked? ...What worked? Kaiba?! Kaiba!”

He was soundly ignored, and Atem stared at the small stream of bubbles emerging from between Kaiba’s lips with rising wonderment. This couldn’t be real, could it? Bubbles were coming out of his mouth the way they would with any sleeping merperson!

“Kaiba…please wake up. Let’s get you to shore,” Atem begged, giving the human’s arm a rough shake, but he received an annoyed hiss in response as Kaiba turned over angrily, this time with his back facing him in the water.

Atem stared mutely at Kaiba’s sleeping form in the sand beside him for a long moment before he accepted defeat and laid down. He tucked his chin over Kaiba’s shoulder, listening intently to Kaiba’s steady heartbeats, letting the calming sound lull him to sleep.

This ought to be fine. Kaiba’s heartbeats were steady. If there was any stutter at all, he would drag the human back to shore.

* * *

**Author’s note:**

 Woot woot. Moon bathing is a smashing success, haha get it, smashing. Succ…

Kaiba +1 levels up.  
atem is shook.

 


	23. Chapter 23

It was getting steadily brighter behind his eyelids, and Kaiba slowly cracked an eye open before closing it again when he saw a mass of red and black hair floating across his vision.

If he woke up, this dream would end, so he drifted off again, enjoying the soft tail brushing over his toes.

Atem felt the water warming up around him and he woke up slowly, blinking in astonishment at Kaiba’s peaceful sleeping face beside him.

A dream? No…this was reality!

Glancing around in a sleepy haze, Atem realized with a jolt that they were still underwater, and the tide had buried them in the sand from the waist down. Only tips of his red tail were peeking out before another wave came, carrying more sand with it, and buried his tail once more.

“Kaiba…” Atem whispered, giving the human a shake, watching him frown in his sleep. “Seto Kaiba! Wake up!”

Kaiba opened his eyes reluctantly and found himself staring into a pair of deep angular eyes, and his heart jumped into his throat, rendering him speechless.

Atem?!   
Right, because they had…fucked, and he had passed out…

“You need air!” Atem said firmly, moving to get up, but Kaiba’s iron-like grip around his arm kept him down.

 _I’m fine._ Kaiba insisted, giving Atem a mischievous grin. _Ask me how I can breathe underwater. Go ahead. I’ll wait._

Aghast, Atem threw his arms around Kaiba’s body and pressed his ear against his chest, listening for a steady heartbeat, relieved when he found one.

“How?” Atem breathed, gazing at the colorful rocks that surrounded them in the cave before fixating on Kaiba’s bright blue eyes, and his heart swelled magnificently. “Does it hurt?”

Kaiba opened his mouth to say no, but only produced a thick stream of bubbles.

“You can’t talk?!” Atem jerked his head back, instantly worried. “Surface, now!”

 _I’ve been using the scales!_ Kaiba said hastily, giving Atem a weak smile and praying the merman wouldn’t overreact to this news. _No one else knows, but I’ve been testing them on myself, and look! I’m fine!_

Atem stared at the CEO for a long moment before his expression morphed from incredulity to relief in an instant, and he grabbed Kaiba’s hands in his, giving them a tight squeeze.

“You’re using the dead scales?” Atem asked quietly, hearing his own heartbeat pounding too loudly in his ears. “…Then, was that how you were able to withstand cold water?”

 _Yep_ , Kaiba said arrogantly, leaning comfortably against the rock with a smirk. _See? I told you I could do anything._

“Ra…” Atem breathed, his shoulders shaking with laughter as he threw himself forward to give Kaiba a tight hug. “You really can do anything!”

Kaiba returned the hug with equal vigor and gazed over the tips of Atem’s spiky hair, taking in the beautiful golden sunlight streaming through the surface, casting a glow on Atem’s tanned shoulders.

 _How long can you stay?_ Kaiba asked, but his question was barreled over by an excited Atem who was asking rapid-fire questions.

“Does this mean you can produce an heir for me? Growing one in a lab the way you said? I need one now, Kaiba! If I produce an heir, my sentence could possibly be shortened!”

 _What?_ Kaiba growled, tightening his hand over Atem’s and lacing his fingers in through the top of his hand. _What the fuck kind of antiquated rules are you living by? Who the fuck wants you to have a kid?_

“It would get the Elders off my back,” Atem said grimly. “And quite possibly, the entire Council too! They’re really looking to me this millennia, and clearly, I’ve been nothing but a shore-loving disappointment.”

 _Ouch,_ Kaiba thought mildly, reaching up to brush his slender fingers through Atem’s silky blond hair, enjoying how they floated around his face in the water, making him look almost angelic.

“Well? …Do it for me!” Atem urged, fanning his tail insistently and exposing Kaiba’s toes in the sand. “The sooner you do it, the longer we can be together!”

 _Yeah, I could…if Marik Ishtar hadn’t stolen the last sample I had_ , Kaiba said angrily, giving Atem a knowing glare. _If you can get me another vial of your jizz, that would be great._

“My jizz,” Atem repeated, smiling in amusement. “I’m not sure how I could get that to you.”

 _Find a container that has a seal, and cum in it_ , Kaiba said with an impish grin. _Doesn’t matter if there’s water in it. I can separate it._

“Because you can do anything,” Atem said, smiling mischievously in return. “And it’s best if you avoided Marik. He’s acting on instructions from Isis, my High Priestess, and let’s just say…she’s not currently on my side right now.”

 _Avoid him, got it._ Kaiba thought dully, resting his head on Atem’s shoulder and gazing at his bare earlobes _. Hey, why’d you give me your earrings?_

“I thought I’d never see you again!” Atem said heatedly, his cheeks flushing with color. “This was a chance meeting, wasn’t it? I thought I’d never see the surface for another century!”

 _You’re a king, they can’t do that to you,_ Kaiba replied stiffly, but to his dismay, Atem shook his head.

“I don’t make all the decisions…” Atem said quietly, noticing how Kaiba’s hand tightened over his, and something Mai said to him came rushing out of his mouth. “Kaiba, do you want to give me a ring? Perhaps, one with a diamond?”

 _How about...some earrings...and a fuck,_ Kaiba answered drowsily, still fixated on Atem’s bare earlobes, thinking they looked weird without jewelry. _Did you give me your only pair? Why the fuck would you do that?_

“Because I love you,” Atem replied, almost angrily. “And if possible, I want to have you as my Mate for Life, but we don’t practice that anymore as a species.”

 _Yeah?_ Kaiba said with a dry smile. _You’ve got ‘dying species’ problems._ _I guess if I could grow you a bunch of little mer-babies, you’d be off the hook._

“You’d hook off my entire species,” Atem said seriously, attempting to use human slang, and he earned a hearty laugh from Kaiba that made his cheeks grow warm.

 _I’ll try,_ Kaiba promised, pressing his lips tightly against the corner of Atem’s mouth and feeling the merman smile. _Let’s fuck again._

“You don’t need…air?” Atem asked nervously, eyeing the morning sun streaming in from the surface above them near the entrance of the cave. “We’d better not. Someone might—”

_Ateeeeeeeeeeeeeem!_

Kaiba winced when he heard a high-pitched voice screaming for the king, and Atem threw him a knowing look, his violet eyes slightly wide with panic.

 _That’s Mana!_ Atem thought anxiously, wiggling out of the sand and gently patting it back down around Kaiba’s legs. _Thank Ahti you can breathe underwater, and you look like a merman from the waist up. Stay quiet._

 _Please don’t fucking leave for another three damn years._ Kaiba growled, grabbing onto Atem’s gold-adorned arm and pulling him into a rough kiss, feeling Atem resist for a millisecond before giving in fully and giving him a passionate, lingering kiss.

“Atem! Oh—”

Mana skidded to a halt and pressed a hand over her mouth, her stomach clenching strangely when she saw Atem kissing the beautiful merman she had seen last night.

The pale merman’s clawed hands were threaded through Atem’s spiky hair, and Mana wondered if she should cover her eyes when she spotted long waterfalls of claw marks going up and down Atem’s bare back.

They had made love!

“I-It’s time to go…” Mana said weakly, looking over her shoulder at no one behind her in an attempt to stop staring, but her eyes snapped right back to the pale merman’s hands wrapped around Atem’s shoulders.

 _I need to leave…_ Atem thought sadly, and Kaiba’s grip tightened in his hair demandingly while a hot tongue grazed his lower lip and his angry voice filled his head.

_We spent too much goddamn time talking!_

“C-Come visit us in th-the Kingdom of Muran…if you’d like to see Atem,” Mana ventured, wondering if she was being heard, and her cheeks burned with embarrassment when the men showed no signs of stopping.

She cleared her throat nervously, and followed up with, “Solomon would love to meet you.”

Kaiba felt Atem tense and gently pull out of the kiss, and his stomach swooped oddly at the sudden loss of contact.

 _Solomon?_ Kaiba wondered, not bothering to keep his thoughts to himself. _King Solomon VII or whatever?_

“You’ve heard of him?” Atem said, unable to hide his surprise and Mana swam forward bravely, invading their space.

“Yes! King Solomon VII!” She said earnestly, looking clearly into the handsome merman’s pale face for the first time, and her heart skipped a beat in her chest.

“Who is retired…and is my grandfather,” Atem growled, hovering protectively over where Kaiba’s legs which were still buried in the sand, and Kaiba swallowed thinly.

Oh shit. King Solomon had to be really fucking old because he had come across that name in the mer-fanatic’s blog when reading about the eruption of Mount Kolumbo.

“Are you a Scholar?” Mana asked with wide eyes, floating daringly closer to the blue-eyed merman. “You sound like one…and, you’re very quiet.”

“Please, leave us be, Mana,” Atem said hastily, gently pushing Mana away from Kaiba, who was gazing into her face with an oddly blank expression. This was Kaiba’s first encounter with a mermaid, and Atem knew Mana’s beauty was enchanting.

“And yes, my grandfather is quite old. He’s the last of my living family, so I must respect his wishes.” Atem nodded, giving Kaiba a smile, grateful that the CEO understood his struggles when communicating with the old man.

 _So he’s the one who is imposing these ridiculous rules. How is he not dead?_ Kaiba asked rudely, knowing the answer immediately, and Mana gasped, looking deeply offended.

“What has he done to you?” Mana cried, growing slightly disenchanted with the handsome merman. “Were you alive during The Eruption? He _saved_ us! How dare you—”

“Mana, please, he’s not from around these waters,” Atem said, rushing to Kaiba’s defense and privately wishing he could’ve somehow kept Mana from meeting Kaiba.

“What is your name? What colony are you from?” Mana demanded, blushing redder and redder by each passing second. “Who do you answer to?”

 _Can’t say, can’t say, and it’s none of your damn business_ , Kaiba sang gleefully, and Mana’s eyes widened with fear.

“Atem…do _you_ know his name?” She cried, grabbing onto the king’s arm and beginning to drag him away. “He sounds dangerous! Let’s leave!”

“I want to stay with him a bit longer,” Atem said anxiously, trying to shake her off, and he lied quickly off the top of his head. “He can’t tell me his name or colony...because…he’s a Warrior on an Assignment.”  
  
Spending time with Joey was paying off. It was helping him lie and conceal his thoughts better than he ever could before, even managing to fool Mana.

Mana let go of Atem’s arm and her mouth dropped open in surprise before she bent forward in a pretty bow, the tips of her ears red. “…O-Oh! Thank you for your service.”

 _Oh you fucking bet,_ Kaiba smirked, eyeing the hand-strung jewelry floating around her neck above her large breasts. _I’m going to make so many fucking mer-babies for you—_

 _Hilarious!_ Atem cut across Kaiba with a glare that said, ‘shut up’, and Kaiba fell silent immediately. “Let me have a day with him, Mana.”

“I promised Mahad I’d bring you back by sundown…today,” Mana said sadly, throwing a gaze over her shoulder at the bright waters behind them. “Our journey will take most of the day. If we don’t come back on time…I’m not sure they’ll never trust me to journey alone with you again.”

 _Mahad? Tell that fucker I said ‘hi’,_ Kaiba said, his anger rising at the familiar name, and Atem sensed a fight brewing between Mana and Kaiba, so he hastily grabbed Mana by the arm and steered her to the entrance of the cave.

“What has Mahad done to you?!” Mana cried, her voice rising shrilly and echoing in the watery cave. “You know him too? Of course you do! Tell me, what—”

“Mana…Mana,” Atem said firmly, gazing into her eyes and giving her a little shake, “Give us a few heartbeats of time. I really need to speak with him privately, and then I’ll come right out. I swear on it.”

“I-I’ll go, and I’ll wait,” Mana said shakily, throwing the handsome merman a suspicious look before swimming away obediently.

Atem waited until the bubbles disappeared from the water behind her, and he dove angrily towards Kaiba, hovering inches from the CEO’s nose, hating the dazed look on his face. “You’re frightening her with how much you know!”

 _‘I saw a mermaid with huge boobs, Seto!’_ Kaiba thought faintly, using Mokuba’s voice in his head. _Was that her?_

“Yes,” Atem growled through clenched teeth. “Don’t go chasing after her now. Do you think she’s prettier than me?”

Kaiba let out a laugh, and a thick bubble of air escaped his mouth as he did so.

 _Are you shitting me right now,_ King _Atem?_ Kaiba thought playfully, giving Atem a boyish grin, and he reached up to lace his fingers through Atem’s open hand. _I love you because you say hilarious shit like this. I spent the last three years getting closer to you. I think I’ve achieved that._

“Yes, yes indeed you have,” Atem whispered hoarsely, gripping Kaiba’s hand tightly in his own and wishing he would never have to let go. “I don’t know how much time will pass between us until the next time we meet. My heart…hurts. I can’t bear to think about it.”

 _We’ll always find each other._ Kaiba said firmly, rising out of the sand and feeling Atem nearly squeeze the blood out of his hands while they gazed deeply into each other’s eyes.

“Y-yes…I know where to find you,” Atem said, faltering greatly when tears welled unexpectedly in the corners of his eyes. “But if I don’t appear, please move on with your life...”

 _No. I don’t agree to those terms._ Kaiba thought viciously, tucking his legs underneath him in a formal sitting position as he pulled Atem closer and watched a glittering tear fall to the bottom of the sandy floor.

“Then I don’t know what to do!” Atem raged, hating that he was somehow crying in earnest now. “The mermaids say I should let you live your life, but I see the way Mana looks at you like a potential Mate, and I can’t feel happy for you!”

 _Then wait for me,_ Kaiba said firmly, shaking with disbelief at what he was about to say next. _I’ll find my way to you. I can do it. If I can grow a mermaid in a test tube, I’ll have a lab-made Chrysalis in my hands. I’ll do it, even if it means I don’t do anything the fuck else with the rest of my life._

“You’d be...wasting your life…” Atem said, his throat closing up with emotion as Kaiba shook his head, his hair floating up around his cheeks, making him look more handsome than ever.

_ATEMMMM!_

Mana was calling from afar, and both men gazed panic-stricken at each other.

 _My life, my rules._ Kaiba fumed, not letting go of Atem’s hands when he felt the merman begin to pull away. _What’s the thing you said? Mate for Life? Consider it done. Marry me. Agree to do it. Say ‘yes’._

 _Yes! I agree to it all!_ Atem thought miserably, hating the gut-wrenching sadness in his chest _. I already know there’s no merman or mermaid in this entire ocean who could replace you!_

 _Damn right,_ Kaiba managed a half smile, and he felt a rush of triumph coupled with a pang of sorrow as Atem’s hands slid out of his. _Your mermaid friend is calling._ _See you in a few hundred years._

 _Don’t you dare joke about that!_ Atem flushed deep red, and Kaiba let out another delirious laugh, feeling his own eyes sting and heat up with unshed tears.

He was about to ask for a kiss that he could remember for the rest of time, but Atem had already read his mind and had thrown himself into his arms, his teeth scraping desperately along his lower lip as their breaths mingled in the water in a frenzied but loving kiss, and Kaiba shut his eyes, vividly stamping every moment in his memory.  
He wouldn’t know when he would ever feel these Atem against his body again so he would cling viciously onto every precious sensation.

Atem’s lips on his…Atem’s tongue swirling against his own…Atem’s clawed hands in his hair, and Atem’s warm tail between his legs.

 _ATEM?! I’m coming in to get you!_ Mana’s worried cries shattered their atmosphere, and Atem pulled away first with his brow furrowed.

He pressed a warm palm against Kaiba’s cheek, caressing his face gently as he spoke. “Think of me. I love you.”

 _I love you too,_ Kaiba said, thankful that he wasn’t opening his mouth to speak, because he wasn’t sure if he could anymore. His heart was being torn in two, and it was getting harder and harder to breathe.

He watched with a deep sorrow as Atem remembered to pick the belt up from the sand and throw it over his shoulder before swimming through the entrance of the cave, his red tail glinting magnificently in the sunlight as he gave Kaiba one last forlorn look over his shoulder. He turned the corner and disappeared, leaving nothing but a thin stream of bubbles behind him.

Suddenly feeling very alone, Kaiba sat very still, trying to gather himself together, doing his very best not to cry. No more crying. Crying had really gotten him nowhere last time.

Actions were what mattered, and Atem’s words confirmed his feelings a thousand-times over. It was a bittersweet triumph.

Kaiba bent forward and hastily sifted through the sand, gathering up all of Atem’s glittering tears in his palm the best he could, but his vision was blurry with his own tears.

He blindly patted around his knees, picking up every rounded gem he could find, and he rubbed his eyes fervently, composing himself. His palm was almost filled to the brim with gems, and his chest was impossibly tight.   
  
It was really time for some air. He didn’t know how long he had been underwater.

His clothes were also nowhere to be found. Damn.

Kicking off the ground, Kaiba swam through the water with urgency, curving around the large rocks that surrounded the entrance of the cave before he found a good open space to pop his head up for air.

He flipped wet hair out of his eyes and opened his mouth to breathe, but to his horror, his lungs constricted, and no air entered his lungs. His chest felt like exploding, and Kaiba sank underwater, trying not to panic as he took a deep breath, realizing he could still breathe when submerged.

His heart pounded furiously in his chest as he swam slowly to shore, and he alternated between popping his head up for air and dipping beneath the surface again when his lungs didn’t seem to want oxygen.

Fuck. What if he had fucked shit up, and he would have to wear a tank on his head forever because he had slept an entire night underwater with Atem?

 _Worth it_ , Kaiba growled, trying to stem his fear as his lungs didn’t seem to want to take another breath of air.

He hovered under water for a solid minute, breathing shallowly and wondering if he would pass out on the beach. Whatever. He needed to make the transition somehow, and putting it off while breathing the air in the water wasn’t going to make things easier.

Gathering his courage, Kaiba used long, powerful strokes to fight the waves crashing against him, and finally, he reached shallow water where his toes touched the sand. He let a giant wave wash him to shore, managing to perfectly mimic Atem’s technique, and he rolled onto his side in the sand, his lungs constricting with effort as he wheezed and gasped for air.

Curling his left hand tightly around the gems, Kaiba’s vision turned red, green, and then pulsed white as he slowly suffocated.

Damn…damn…damn!   
He was going to die like this.  
Naked, and alone on this beach.  
Not humiliating at all.

Suddenly, a tanned hand appeared in his vision, holding a dark green mass of something wiggling and slimy.

Kaiba managed to push himself up on all fours to stare at the person holding it, his vision blurring in and out as his brain and lungs screamed for air.

It was a beautiful woman with colorful beads in her hair, making a cupping motion to her mouth with the disgusting clump of as if to say, _‘eat it!’_

Kaiba swiped it from her hand and shoved the wet mass inside his mouth and swallowed forcefully, his ears ringing with a horrible noise as his body confused violently and he vomited a giant lungful of water the instant the slimy clump landed in his stomach.

Disgusted, he took a deep gasping breath, feeling air rush into his lungs in one deep surge, and he coughed, his throat burning terribly.

Before Kaiba could raise his head to thank his savior, bile came rushing up rapidly, and he vomited again, but this time, it was greenish, and oddly shiny with an unpleasant stench.

“Tsk,” the woman made a noise, shaking her head with sympathy. “Young warriors like you are always popping up on this shore forgetting your slugmutt. This is how you all die before completing your first Assignment.”

Unable to say thank you, Kaiba decided to keep his pride and cover his modesty with his hand.

The woman let out a barking laugh and rose to her feet, walking away quickly while calling over her shoulder, “I have clothes! Don’t worry yourself, I’ve seen it many times already! Yours is not that ugly!”

 _Another mermaid?_ Kaiba thought excitedly, feeling a rush of vicious triumph coupled by a familiar wave of nausea. And whatever the fuck ‘slugmutt’ was, he needed a fuckton of it if he was going to be in and out of the water like this.

Slowly gathering his bearings, Kaiba took deep shuddering breaths, wondering if Mahad had vomited and suffocated like this when he rose to shore with legs. Probably.

Footsteps were approaching, and Kaiba froze on the spot, scanning the rocks for a hiding place. If another person who wasn’t Atem saw him naked, he might just die of embarrassment.

“Oh relax,” the woman called, appearing from another side of the rock and in her arms, she carried a t-shirt and a pair of shorts. “You read the map correctly. Did your Commander not tell you I was going to be here? Or are they one of those, ‘ _you’ll learn the hard way’_ types?”

Kaiba opened and closed his mouth, after deciding to say nothing that would give him away. Something was odd though. She wasn’t speaking Japanese, or English, or Spanish…but he could understand her.

“A Warrior who is a little rusty with his merspeak?” she asked curiously, her eyes narrowed in suspicion, and she held the clothes away and out of arm’s reach. “Speak. Identify yourself! Name and colony! I see no Markings on your body!”

 _Shiiiiit_ , Kaiba kept his face impassive as his mind spun quickly. He could technically say Kingdom of…Muran. Wait, shit. He wasn’t supposed to say anything. Mission failed.

“Technically?” The woman took a hesitant step towards him and tossed the clothes at him and turned around to give him privacy. “Very well, Undercover Warrior from, technically, the Kingdom of Muran. Your merspeak is sufficient. Now get off my beach, and you’re welcome.”

Kaiba scrambled to put the clothes on, slightly amazed that they fit, and he dismissed the fact that it was a t-shirt bearing a garish tourist logo as he jumped to his feet to chase after her.   
She was the fountain of knowledge, whoever she was.

“Don’t! Don’t follow me!” She shrieked, weaving through the rocky structures trying to get away from him. “I don’t want to mate! Go find a pretty young girl on another shore!”

 _I like men!_ Kaiba shouted mentally, racing after her on weak legs. _And come back! I need more of that shit…that slagmutt!_

She stumbled in the sand and threw him a frantic look over her shoulder, her beads clicking in her hair as she skidded to a halt.

“You don’t know what it’s called? What kind of Undercover Warrior are you?” She shook her head frantically, turning pale with fear. “Stay away! I don’t know you! I’ve helped you enough! You may thank me by leaving me alone!”

“I’m human!” Kaiba said, choosing to speak English. “I’m human…believe me.”

“That is what all merpeople say when they’ve surfaced!” She said, shaking her head fervently and inching around another tall pillar of rock, visibly trembling with fear. “Stand there, and don’t come after me, or I’ll cast a curse on your legs!”

She turned and ran off at full speed while Kaiba stood very still, wondering if mermaids could really do that. Blood pacts were a thing, so witchcraft and spellcasting were part of the same…genre of shit?

Realizing that he had been tricked, Kaiba let out a growl and took leaping strides through the sand, trying to find her footsteps in order to find her.

He didn’t know what part of the beach this was anymore. All that mattered was he find her and learn everything about her and what she knew. If ‘young warriors’ were often ‘popping up on this shore’, that meant a Chrysalis was near!

Kaiba paused to catch his breath, growing dizzy. Too much running, too soon. He bent forward and braced himself on his knees, taking slow breaths, willing the bright spots in his vision to fade.   
He felt faint.

Closing his eyes briefly, he perked his ears up and listened for any new sounds of movement or thoughts, but all he heard was silence.

Disappointed and disgruntled, Kaiba eyed his surroundings and stepped over the rocks to walk closer to shore. He could make his way back easier if he followed the edge of the water.

Sighing, he tried his best to keep replaying his last moments with Atem in his mind to help cope with the crushing pang of loneliness in his chest.

* * *

Mana’s movements were oddly energetic, and Atem swam glumly forward, attributing her uplifted mood with the wonders of moon bathing.

It hadn’t even been a thousand heartbeats and he missed Seto Kaiba’s warmth.

“You’re thinking about him again…!” Mana cried, doing a twirl at his side and giving him a sympathetic frown. “What about that pretty merman you just mated with? He left so many love-markings all over your body, you look like Warrior! Mahad and Solomon are going to be so proud…!”

 _And proud of me for helping him find someone he likes_ , Mana thought privately, congratulating herself.

“Ah...yes, him.” Atem said, his ears burning with a strange heat. “He reminded me of Seto Kaiba.”

 “That’s your ideal type now isn’t it?” Mana said knowingly with a smile. “Brown hair and blue eyes. Did he say he would come visit? I know he’s probably a traveling Warrior…but did he promise to make time to see you?”

“He said he couldn’t say,” Atem replied dully, already scheming for new ways he could communicate with Kaiba. “He couldn’t say much.”

“That’s most Warriors for you,” Mana said thoughtfully, “His thoughts were rather rough, but I’m sure if he talked, it would be completely different. Ever heard Mahad’s thoughts? He’s vile! They sound almost the same.” Mana giggled, and Atem swallowed thinly, managing a tight nod.

“Since he’s traveling, you probably caught him at a peak Mating time,” Mana said dipping forward in the water and giving Atem a warm smile. “My peak is coming soon. Perhaps I could mate with him the next time he comes by? Would he want that?”

Atem felt his stomach clench unpleasantly, and he managed to keep his face impassive as he replied, “I’m not sure, Mana. Again, he didn’t say.”

“Well I would love to do that,” Mana said with a huff, doing another twirl in the water beside him. “I saw him first, you know? He was sitting alone in a pool behind us, and I chased him away! Ah, now I wish I hadn’t…”

Atem grit his teeth and said nothing.

“But I’m glad you got to Mate with him,” Mana continued, looking for any excuse to continue talking about the pretty merman. “He looks like fun. I’ve never had a merman leave marks on me. They’re all too…polite. Hey, was it fun?”

Mana glanced over at Atem, disappointed to find that the king was ignoring her.

“Atem…are you angry with me?” Mana pouted, noticing a frown creeping over Atem’s brow. “I won’t tease you about the human Seto Kaiba anymore…I’m sorry.”

Atem bit back a sigh.   
He was bursting to tell Mana the truth because he wasn’t sure how long he could live with hiding it from her anymore. Or maybe it was because Mana was so obviously attracted to Kaiba, it made him uncomfortable.

“…His movements were very quick. I turned around to look, and he was gone!” Mana said, breathless and bright-eyed, still rambling about Kaiba. “Ever seen such a pale merman? What colony do you think he’s from? The only other one that comes to mind is—”

“That man _was_ Seto Kaiba,” Atem blurted, clenching his fists at his sides as he swam forwards intently, following the crowd of merpeople’s tails in the distance before them.

“Seto Kaiba is a Warrior living on land?!” Mana gasped, misunderstanding completely. “It is no wonder he knows Mahad! Perhaps it is no wonder he knows about The Eruption but doesn’t know that you are Solomon’s grandson! Oh that makes sense! His thoughts make sense now!”

“No, Mana…no,” Atem began awkwardly, but Mana showed no signs of stopping.

“…And his request for dead scales is nothing but short of disgusting. He probably asked for it _because_ it’s disgusting, and he did it torture Mahad, who he’s probably had a fight with! Oh, but he looks so young! He must have been sent up to land as a hatchling, before Solomon implemented the decree to stop the abuse of hatchings who wanted to become Warriors!”

“He’s human, Mana,” Atem said stiffly, but Mana seemed to be in a world of her own, spinning a wild story about Kaiba’s past aloud while she swam beside him.

“He sounds like Scholar, but acts like a Warrior, and Mates like one too, but has no Markings! Atem, oh, he must have a highly trained past!”

“Pretty sure he’s human,” Atem replied blandly, no longer interested in humoring Mana. “Acts vile enough to be human. You’ve met his brother, remember?”

“But they look nothing alike!” Mana gasped, slowly piecing together information for herself. “The child was barbaric! Was that merman really Seto Kaiba, and not another merman going by the same name?!”

“Yes, and he’s human,” Atem said, growing tired of repeating himself, and he swam faster, eager to get away from Mana for a while so he could be alone with his thoughts.

Mana zoomed forward and stuck annoyingly by his side, raining questions down upon him nonstop, “But if he’s human, how did he breathe under the water? How did you Mate without air? Humans can only hold their breath for about 110 heartbeats…!”

“Well…I met him on land while in captivity, and he’s always had a pair of legs,” Atem fumed, now wishing Mana would leave him alone. “He’s acted human enough, and he’s never given me a reason to believe otherwise.”

He swam forward quickly again, but Mana caught up with him easily, and she gave him an imploring look.

“Don’t feel angry that he deceived you…” she said, sounding deeply sympathetic. “Perhaps it was part of his Assignment. You never know. Mahad told me this, and it’s to never blame yourself for the lies a Warrior tells you while he is on shore!”

“For the last time, Mana,” Atem slowed to a furious stop and gazed into her eyes firmly. “He’s human.”

“We’re all a little bit human,” Mana said amicably, looping her arm through Atem’s and pulling him along gently. “I’m glad I got to meet him. I understand why you love him like a Mate.”

Atem fell silent once more and said nothing. The moment he got back, the first thing he wanted to do was visit the mermaids in Confinement and tell them about this meeting.

Mai and Anzu had picture proof of Seto Kaiba as a child. There was no way Kaiba was ever a hatchling, and even so, no hatching was ever sent to land at that young of an age. Atem knew there was one thing about Seto Kaiba that proved him to be irrevocably human, and it was the fact that he aged like one.

A hatchling at that age would remain that age on land for at least several centuries.

He had read about them in the books, learning that humans murdered some hatchlings because they never aged, and it frightened them.

The ones that weren’t killed were hailed as Gods, and that was when Solomon issued the decree banning hatchlings from being sent to shore.

Atem was extremely sure that Seto Kaiba was _not_ a merman in disguise, but if Mana wanted to think so, she could.

* * *

 **Author’s note:**  
  
oh smackaroonies! This was a bit of a short chapter im sorryyyy! i'll try to make the next one longer!

comments and reviews are my fuel!  
  
xo  
Ugli


	24. Chapter 24

Kaiba held the books in his arms and hastily walked through the hallway as if he belonged there. Throwing a fervent look over his shoulder, he made sure no one saw him leaving Marik’s office as he hurried away.

He had stolen several books to help further aid his research in making a mer-baby in a test-tube because the internet wasn’t providing enough accurate information.

The one source he knew that could be remotely reliable was Marik Ishtar.

Atem had told him to avoid Marik…and he had done just that, by only visiting the merman’s office to steal information while he was out teaching a class.  
This was totally justifiable.  
The university was open to everyone, and as a professor, it was Marik’s duty to educate the public.

 _I am the public_ , Kaiba thought furiously, dashing to his car and throwing himself inside. Mission accomplished.

He tossed the books into the passenger seat and turned the key in the ignition, taking great pleasure in the roar of the engine. Ah, the sound of progress.

* * *

Atem swam slowly behind Mana, completely disinterested in the marketplace stalls and what they had to offer.

“Come, look at these!” Mana pulled Atem over to another seaweed tent where a couple of mermaids were displaying their handwoven baskets. “Look! There are shells woven in the kelp. Oh, it looks so pretty…”

Atem nodded stiffly and let his gaze drift around the crowded marketplace halfheartedly. Everything had lost its luster because Kaiba wasn’t here by his side, also enjoying the sights.

“BOO!”

Atem staggered forward as he was pushed roughly, and he spun around to see Joey grinning at him, carrying a warrior’s spear at his side.

“Joey!” Atem smiled, his spirits lifting slightly at the sight of his friend.

“Yo! Came by to see ya, and they said you’s here!” Joey said loudly, earning several annoyed stares from neighboring stalls. A shy mermaid’s face peeked out from behind Joey’s shoulder and disappeared quickly.

“C’mon, baby sis, say ‘hi’,” Joey said gently, reaching behind his back trying to grab his sister’s arm. “That’s no way to say hi to a king…c’mon.”

Atem smiled warmly at her, “Shizuka?”

“She prefers Serenity, ain’t that right?” Joey said, floating aside in an attempt to get her to stop hiding, but she let out a squeak and dove behind his back again. “Eh, don’t mind her.”

Mana appeared by Atem’s side, carrying a small basket in her arms, and she bowed politely at Joey, “Warrior Jounouchi. Thank you for your service.”

“Look, a girl friend…!” Joey said, swimming quickly to Atem’s side and leaving Serenity floating awkwardly in the middle of the marketplace path. “We’re gonna hang out—guys only. See ya later ladies!”

Atem let Joey grab him by the arm and drag him away from a red-faced Serenity and a confused-looking Mana. He managed to wave lightly at Mana, and she waved back uncertainly before turning to face Serenity with a beaming smile.

“Is she going to be okay?” Atem asked nervously, feeling them make a turn and float to a stop behind a large tent. “Your sister, with Mana?”

“Yeah yeah, don’t worry about her too much, she’s just got a little crush on you,” Joey said with a wide grin. “She saw you passin’ by when we’s just kids, and she thought you were really cool with your hair’n everything.”

“Ah…” Atem said awkwardly, and he fell silent, unsure of how to react.

“So,” Joey said, rapidly switching into thoughts mid-sentence. _I asked my buddies if they had broken their pacts yet, and no one has! Rumor has it that the only warrior who has broken a Chrysalis pact this century is Warrior Mahad. Ya know him?_

 _Mahad, my bodyguard. That is the same Mahad,_ Atem replied anxiously, watching Joey’s eyes widen with respect and awe.

 _Aw crap, then this is gonna be a real challenge fer us,_ Joey said, scratching his head lightly. _Me and buddies, we wrote it down and everything. We can’t figure it out_.

 _Then we’ll decipher it slowly,_ Atem shook his head sadly. _In the meantime, I need to find any human container with a seal. Seto Kaiba requested I bring him one…or several._

 _Like, trash?!_ Joey asked, biting back a laugh, and he nodded at a few mermaids swimming by, arm in arm, blushing and giggling as they waved at him. _Make him pick up his own trash!_

 _No_ , Atem said awkwardly, unsure how to even begin explaining it. _He wants a sample of my…essence. It’s complic—_

 _YUCK, WOW!_ Joey rolled over onto his back and let out a peal of laughter. _You two are somethin’ else, really._

Atem let Joey laugh, feeling the tips of his ears growing warm with embarrassment, but to his relief, his friend smiled at him once more.

_Don’t worry. I gotcha! There’s a lady here who sells human trinkets. Let’s go find her._

Joey turned and swam down the wide path, dodging people easily, so Atem dove after him, following closely behind, waving awkwardly to the people who called out to him and bowed as he passed

“King Atem!” A small boy with green hair waved energetically at him, hanging onto a hand of another merman, and Atem waved back hastily before he hurried to catch up with Joey.

A strong arm wrapped around his and pulled him steadily through the throngs of merpeople crowded around each stall, and Atem was instantly grateful for Joey’s guidance.

They reached the very end of the marketplace path, and Joey pointed at a shabby seaweed tent draped haphazardly upon several boat masts.

“I forgot her name,” Joey said unhelpfully, swimming boldly closer to the dark tent and peering inside. “Knock knock! Anyone home?”

Atem gazed apprehensively at the human tables set up in the sandy floor of the tent, littered messily with trinkets. There was an odd scent in the air, and a strange contraption with spinning blades was humming quietly in the far back of the tent, but no one seemed to be minding the tables.

“Hullo?” Joey called dully again, and Atem drifted through the messy tent, spying a familiar object caught underneath a metal cup. He pulled it out and held it up curiously. It was a tie.

“That’s not for sale,” a voice hissed at him, and Atem dropped the tie, startled.

A white-haired merman emerged from behind a curtain of seaweed in the back, and he pointed a long claw at Atem, neglecting to bow. “…Your _Majesty._ What brings you into my…humble abode? Would you like a bottle of spirits? For you, my … _king_ , the price is two sapphires.”

Atem hastily backed away to float safely beside Joey, now thankful that his warrior friend had brought a weapon, because this white-haired merman looked like a criminal. He had a long, jagged scar running down one side of his face, and he was wearing a human garment on his upper body while his violet pupils glowed unpleasantly in the semi-darkness.  
There was a golden ornament hanging around his neck, secured with a thick strand of what looked like braided hair, and the merman seemed quite proud of it.

“W-Whoa…uh, where’s the lady who runs this place? Didja kill her?” Joey asked nervously, sending Atem a quick thought. _Bad news. If something goes wrong, you swim away first. I’ll take him._

“I’m insulted. King Atem was too frightened to come see me himself, so he had to bring a _pet_ ,” the white-haired merman spat, glaring daggers at Joey and ignoring the question entirely.

Atem swallowed thinly and pointed at the tie, “How much?”

 _Dude, no!_ Joey thought anxiously, gently nudging the king with his elbow, but Atem ignored him. If he showed interest in this man’s product, he could form a friendship…and everyone would benefit from this.

“Wait, I forgot my manners,” the merman said, giving Atem an elaborate bow. “Pleased to make your acquaintance. You may call me Bakura.”

 _What kinda crazy-town name is that?_ Joey said suspiciously, and Atem shook his head tightly, giving the merman, Bakura, a polite nod.

“I’m looking for something, Bakura, perhaps you can help me,” Atem said anxiously, feeling Joey curl a hand around his forearm, getting ready to drag him out of the tent.

“You’ve come to the right place!” The merman grinned a fang-glinting smile and floated higher above the tables, his white hair glowing eerily around his face. “I am a Finder of Things, Keeper of Things, a Merchant of All Things, A Retriever—”

“So, a thief,” Joey said blandly, his grip tightening around Atem’s tanned arm. “Yeah we don’t do business with thieves.”

 “I’m a _Merchant_. I sell what I find…most of which…” the merman kept the leery grin plastered on his face, “…is trash, as you can see. Now, what do you seek? King Atem, don’t let this mongrel address me directly again.”

“Mongrel?” Joey’s eyes widened before they narrowed in anger. “Ya wanna fight, you white-haired freak?”

“A flask, or a container with a seal!” Atem said, throwing an arm across Joey’s chest, feeling his friend vibrating with anger. “Please give us that, and we will leave quickly.”

Bakura’s smile melted off his face and was replaced with a scowl. “Perhaps you want a bottle of spirits instead? I hear the palace guards love a good drink. Or did you want a picture frame? I have those, made of metal and wood.”

Atem shook his head and declined, “A container with a seal, please. And…lipstick, if you have it.”

 _A what?_ Joey thought faintly, and Bakura’s face split into a grin again.

“Ah…for a pretty mermaid in your life, King Atem?” He asked, floating upside down with a mean look in his eye. “Sorry, but lipsticks are in short supply. I only have one, but you can have it, because you are… _my king_.”

“Oh, gee thanks, we’ll take it and go,” Joey said, his voice rising in volume to hide his fear.

Bakura let out a deranged, full-bellied laugh and slowly dove down to pull open the moss-covered drawers of a large closet behind him, filling the tent with the sound of loud rummaging.

Atem gave Joey a thankful look. His friend grimaced, his eyes darting to the door and back while thinking, _“Time to go while he’s not looking! Crazy-Town is bad news!”_

 _He can help me!_ Atem replied stubbornly, and just as the thought left his mind, Bakura let out a triumphant shout.

“Ah HA!” The white merman shot upwards in the water and zoomed towards Atem, stopping just centimeters from his face with another wide grin.

“I’ve found it. Just for you…a wide selection.”

He dropped the glass bottles out of his arms and let them land on the sandy floor of the tent with a muffled thunk, and he eyed Joey’s spear.  
  
“I’ll give you an emerald for your spear, Mongrel,” Bakura rasped, already reaching a clawed hand for it. “You would like that, wouldn’t you? An emerald?”

“Heck no!” Joey jerked his spear back angrily. “I’ll be penalized for losing a weapon! What’re you gonna do with a spear anyway? And you didn’t answer my first question. Isn’t there a lady—”

“That old bat shares this tent with me,” Bakura said, pointing at the empty glass bottles on the ground. “We have an agreement. Every half-moon, we switch.”

“That’s not legal,” Joey said instantly, and Bakura laughed obnoxiously in his face.

Atem frantically scanned the bottles beneath his fins, not seeing anything that had a seal similar to Kaiba’s sample vials. These were mostly empty cork-topped liquor bottles and oddly shaped teapots.

“These aren’t what I’m looking for,” Atem said, addressing Bakura halfway through more of his laughter. “Do you have anything with a seal that does this…?” He made a turning motion with his hand, and the merman’s eyes widened.

“Ah…a cap! Or a lid…some type of screwed top,” Bakura mumbled, tucking a hand under his chin and looking thoughtful. “A real challenge! For you, my king, I’ll find one—or several, for the price of three diamonds. Payment upfront.”

“THREE?!” Joey cried, shaking his head fervently and tugging at Atem’s arm. “Nope. Rip off. Let’s go.”

“Done deal,” Atem said readily. He had been prepared to pay any outrageous price to fulfill this request. “And the tie, and the lipstick.”

“Ohhoo, you’re buying me out, King Atem!” Bakura crowed, doing an odd flip in the water that made the golden ring on his neck tangle in his white hair. “The lipstick, which is the _only one I have_ , will only set you back two rubies, and one sapphire.”

“You said he could have it!” Joey interjected, glaring at the white-haired merman with deep dislike. “Or is your word not your bond?”

“I’m bound by the riches found in human garbage,” Bakura said proudly, and Joey made a disgusted face. “Do you see here? Your king is paying me three diamonds for my services!”

“How about four?” Atem suggested seriously. “For all of it. And perhaps you can send a message for me too? You’d have to travel to shore.”

 _Holy friggin’ smokes! Atem, you can’t trust this guy!_ Joey cried, his voice in his mind causing Atem to wince slightly, but Atem barreled on with his request.

“I’ll give you a map. If you can make sure you’re not seen…and you must promise not to steal anything you see on that shore,” Atem said, gazing intently into the other merman’s angular eyes. “Please. This is very important to me. If you can accomplish this without being detected, you’ll become very rich. There is a human on that shore who will give you anything you ask for.”

 _“Anything?!”_ Bakura dove forward again, looking very interested. “Then there’s no need to steal, _not that I would…_ if he will give it freely. What do you require me to do, my Majesty? I’ll break any law, any rule…because for _you_ , I’m a _free spirit_.”

“More like a criminal…who’s free,” Joey muttered, but he was ignored.

“Ah…BUT! I’ve got three questions,” Bakura said, his eyes gleaming mysteriously with determination. “Will I be put to death by running this errand of yours? Will the human kill me once I surface? And will you pay me an extra sapphire for my troubles?”

“Glady,” Atem said, and Joey made a strange noise behind him, but he was ignored, again.

“The human is my friend, and he will give you the jar with a seal if you ask him. Tell him I sent you. He will know.”

“Illegal contact with a human, I like it!” Bakura cackled, swimming to the far end of his tent and pulling out a cylindrical item. He slapped the mossy drawer shut with the end of his silvery tail and snatched the tie up from the cluttered table, wrapping it around the small tube and handing it to Atem with both hands, still wearing a mocking grin.

“For you…your Majesty.”

“Thank you,” Atem said anxiously, about to accept the items from the merman, but Bakura yanked them back with a hostile hiss.

“Payment… _upfront_.”

“What kind of crack-pot business are you runnin’ here, buddy?” Joey demanded, pointing his spear threateningly at Bakura’s chest. “You know the rules. Goods first.”

“It’s _my_ tent, _my_ products _, my…rules!_ ” Bakura shouted, tossing the lipstick and tie bundle over his shoulder as he hovered inches from Joey’s nose, looking like he was about to spit in his face.

“Very well! We apologize for the misunderstanding!” Atem said hoarsely, jumping to Joey’s defense and grabbing his friend by the arm, dragging him to the exit. “We’ll come back with payment!”

 _No…we won’t!_ _Cuz he’s crazy!_ Joey thought frantically to Atem while they made their hasty escape.  
  
“YOU’D BETTER! I’ll be waiting, KING!” Bakura shouted at their backs, and he picked up a shiny bread knife, hurling it after them through the slits of the seaweed curtain. It shot through the water and narrowly missed Atem’s shoulder, lodging in a wooden pole propping up a tent across the way, earning several shrieks of fear and surprise from other mer-people.

 _Running away…running away_! Joey thought, pulling Atem rapidly through the water. Atem held onto Joey’s arm tightly, surprised at how fast his friend could swim, and they rounded a corner past the market stalls, stopping behind several towering rocks to catch their breath.

His heart was pounding thickly, and Atem pressed a hand over his chest, breathing a tense sigh of relief.

“You are making some questionable decisions…not that it’s my place to say,” Joey said, giving Atem a grim nod as he flipped onto his back, still panting heavily.

“I need…to get the vial to Seto Kaiba…” Atem breathed, leaning against the rock and feeling a headache coming on. “I feel…despair. Overwhelming despair.”

“That bad, huh?” Joey said with a sympathetic grimace. “Aite well, I dunno if this will help, but I’m being Deployed soon. To the nearest shore, Japan…to complete the rest of my Training.”

“That does help!” Atem gasped, giving his friend a grateful smile. “Please, be safe. Do you know what you’ll be doing?”

“Don’t know many details yet,” Joey said, shrugging and shifting his spear to his other shoulder with an important huff of his chest. “But I know once I get on shore with my own two legs, I can find this Kaiba guy for you and get whatever you want. Don’t rely on shady guys like that thief, Bakura.”

Atem nodded eagerly. “You’re right. Your solution is better. Thank you, Joey. You’re a true friend.”

“Nah, you are,” Joey said, giving Atem a playful grin. “Meeting you and doing this dangerous stuff is preparing me to be a real Warrior. I’ll be the strongest cuz of you. Maybe I’ll even beat that guy, Mahad!”

Atem let out a laugh and felt an odd pang in his chest. It had felt like ages since he had had a laughed…even a little.

“What? C’mon, he’s not _that_ strong, is he?” Joey said, looking disgruntled. “Anyway, let’s head back. The girls are probably wonderin’ where we are.”

Atem nodded and swam quietly after Joey, trying to quell his uncertainty.

His endeavor to stay in contact with Seto Kaiba was becoming more and more dangerous. He wasn’t sure when to stop, and if it was right or wrong.

All he wanted was to be closer to Kaiba, and this was the way to do it.

* * *

Kaiba sifted through the gems with a pair of silver tweezers, picking up a diamond the size of a soybean.

What the fuck was this?!

This was the only diamond amidst all the other glittering gems, and Kaiba wondered if Atem’s tears changed properties depending on his mood. These tears seemed to be more irregular in size. Also, there were no diamond tears in the first few batches of gems when he had lived in the pool.

Sealing the small diamond in a bag, Kaiba rose to his feet and decided to call the jeweler again.

On his way out of the elevator, he heard laughter coming from the media room, so he passed by the half-closed door and peeked through the crack.

The overhead movie projector was on, and a film was playing.  
Mokuba was sitting on the plush leather couches with his arm around a long-haired person beside him, and Kaiba could hear another feminine laugh echo through the home theater.

He wrestled with himself for a moment, wondering if he should interrupt them so he could see who she was, but he decided against it and hurried away with an odd clenching in his stomach.

Mokuba’s girlfriends were none of his business. Was this the same girl as before? Did it matter?

Letting out a tight sigh, Kaiba made his way safely up the grand staircase and locked himself in his room. He leaned heavily against the door and shut his eyes, willing himself to remain composed.

Everything was fine. All he had to do was tell himself that everything was fine and press on. For Atem.

He sat down at his desk and stared at the stack of books he had stolen from Marik’s office, grabbing the topmost one. Flipping it open carelessly, Kaiba bit his tongue in annoyance when he realized the text was all in English.

Goddammit. Nothing was ever going to be easy.

He slipped his phone out of his pocket and snapped a photo of the page, quickly running it through the translation app, slowly watching each sentence blur. The text sharpened again, replaced by Japanese characters, and Kaiba frowned at it, trying to understand the formal wording.

 _“… Mermaids appear in the folklore of many cultures worldwide, including the Near East, Europe, Asia, and Africa.  
The first stories are believed to have appeared in ancient _ [ _Assyria_ ](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assyria) _, in which the goddess_ [ _Atargatis_ ](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atargatis) _transformed herself into a mermaid out of shame for accidentally killing her human lover.”_

“What the fuck…” Kaiba muttered, flipping the book over to glance at the cover. The title read, _‘Folklore and mythology – Merpeople’_.

Rolling his eyes, he tossed the book aside and grabbed the second one. Maybe stealing in a hurry had been a bad idea. He should’ve taken his time to read the insides of the books before swiping them.

Sighing heavily, he flipped the second book open and was happy to discover it was printed in Japanese. What a relief to know that he wasn’t a complete idiot and had managed to steal something in his own language.

 _“The_ [ _Ama_ ](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ama_\(diver\)) _are Japanese skin divers, predominantly women, who traditionally dive for shellfish and seaweed wearing only a loincloth and who have been in action for at least 2,000 years.  
They operate off reefs near the shore, and some perform for sightseers instead of diving to collect a harvest. They have been romanticized as mermaids…”_

 _Unhelpful!_ Kaiba snarled angrily to himself, fanning across several more pages. He needed information about humans fucking mermaids, and possible merbabies coming from them as a result.

An image caught his eye, and Kaiba paused in his motions, leaning down to read the text underneath it.

_“…Researchers believe the markings are branded onto the skin of mermen to symbolize their rank, skill level, and strength. Depicted here is an illustration of a high-ranking Warrior. This design was found on the skin of a man who showed no signs of aging while living in a Singaporean retirement facility. He was rumored to be a Warrior sent to observe how old humans behave…”_

Intrigued, Kaiba studied the drawing, feeling his skin crawl with unease. The markings were branded and not tattooed? 

He recalled seeing a merman with tattoos running down one side of his face, but he didn’t see anything that would resemble a branded mark.

Placing a bookmark in the page, Kaiba flipped his laptop open, hastily searching for the “man who never aged” in Singapore. He came up with one result, and he clicked the article, scanning it rapidly for information.

_“…refused to let his blood be drawn for tests and even became violent. He broke out of the home by leaping over the security fence after fighting off three orderlies who had tried to hold him down. Whereabouts of this man are unknown, and this incident is filed under ‘weird things that happen in old people homes!’_

A photo of a white-haired Asian man was displayed at the bottom of the article, and Kaiba hissed to himself triumphantly. He saved the photo and ran it through his facial recognition system.

Leaning back in his seat, Kaiba wondered if the man was still walking around on land.

But first, he would run this face through all of Japan and then expand from there. If this man was smart, he would’ve made his way to any country in the world. Might as well start searching from home.

* * *

_Atem! Atem! Where ya at buddy?_

Atem slowly opened his eyes and stared up at the dark ceiling of his room. Was he dreaming or had he heard Joey’s voice in his thoughts just now?

_YoooOoOOo! I’m lost! This place is like a maze!_

Bolting upright in bed, Atem raced to the door and pulled it back a centimeter, peeking out into the quiet hallway, shaking off his sleepiness quickly. Everyone was resting…how did Joey get into the palace?

Swimming quietly out into the hall, Atem called back in his thoughts.

_I’m here! Where are you?!_

_...Joey?!_

He was greeted with nothing but silence, and Atem continued to swim slowly forward. Maybe he was out of range.

_JOEY!_

Atem shouted as loudly as he dared while drifting past Mana’s room. He didn’t want to risk the chance of accidentally waking someone by shouting in their mind while they slept.

He turned the corner and ran nose-first into a muscular, pale arm.

Letting out a gasp, Atem darted backwards in surprise, locking eyes with an unfamiliar face of a mer-warrior. The merman’s mouth dropped open in surprise, and his face quickly split into a friendly grin.

He held his hand out for a shake, and Atem gazed at it apprehensively, taking in his strange appearance; dark brown hair styled into a pointed spike, and he wore a necklace strung full of shark’s teeth.

 _Found him!_ The merman called, still grinning at Atem, and he dropped his hand awkwardly. _I’m Honda, but call me Tristan. I hate my birth name._

Atem nodded stiffly in return, his suspicion rising. _How did you get in past the front gates? Are you a friend of Joey’s?_

Joey came zooming forward with a seaweed sack over his shoulder, and he paused, hovering excitedly in front of Atem, also wearing a bright grin.

 _This is my buddy, Tristan!_ Joey said enthusiastically, oblivious to Atem’s anxiety. _Your front guards are asleep, man. Aren’t they supposed to be awake?_

Speechless with surprise, Atem nodded silently again and made a mental note to have Mahad weed out the irresponsible guards for sleeping at their posts.

 _Yo, dudes! Check out the paintings on the ceiling. This place is insane!_ A third merman floated leisurely towards them with his arms tucked behind his head while he craned his neck left and right, admiring the curved ceiling above them. He looked slightly familiar, with his long black hair tied back with a red piece of cloth, and he was wearing an absurd amount of jewelry.

Atem realized with a jolt that this was another merman Solomon had intrusively chosen for him in the blind line-up.

 _Oh shit, the King_! The merman cried, tucking his spear behind his back and bowing, his long black hair floating gracefully over his shoulders. _Call me Duke. I’m the Dungeon Master!_

 _Dungeon Master In Training_ , Joey corrected, giving his friend a playful punch on the shoulder. _Don’t needta’ do that fancy bowing stuff. Atem is cool, right?_

All three merman gazed expectantly at him, and Atem, still unable to find his voice, nodded stiffly. These were Joey’s friends, his buddies, the ones he had spoken so much about. He needed to make a good impression….

 _Can we get out of the way?_ Tristan asked heatedly, throwing a nervous glance at all the empty hallways around them. _Let’s go somewhere with a door. We aren’t supposed to be here._

 _You are my guests,_ Atem said, finally managing to project his thoughts confidently after composing himself. _You can come in any time you wish. Let’s go to my room._

 _Ooo, the King’s Room! I wonder what treasures I’ll find there!_ Duke said, rubbing his hands together with a smile, and he received an elbow to the ribs from Joey. He doubled over, coughing lightly.

Atem bit back a smile and swam forward quickly, feeling his heart clench strangely. They were Joey’s friends, so they could be trusted, right? But they gave off a strange, cold aura.

Pushing his doubts aside, he led the odd trio of mermen into his room and let them swim inside before him, one after another. Then, he shut the door behind himself firmly, making sure to latch the lock.

All three men eyed the lock and there was an uneasy silence.

 _He’s not gonna, like, eat us, right_? Duke said nervously, sending the private thought to Joey, but Atem heard this passing thought and couldn’t help but feel offended.

 _Nah, he’s chill!_ Joey insisted, and he dropped the seaweed sack onto the sandy floor with a quiet thunk, smiling at Atem. _Gotcha some bottles with screwy caps like ya wanted. Come check out our haul!_

“Thank you,” Atem said nervously, slowly sinking to the floor to inspect the goods, fully aware that Tristan and Duke were blatantly staring at him, and it was making his skin burn.

He sifted through the glass bottles, pleased to find that there were indeed several slender vials amongst the assortment, and he gave Joey a grateful smile.

“How did you find these?”

But his question was ignored. The three mermen were having a private conversation above his head with each other, their faces grim with worry.

“Please, speak openly,” Atem said firmly, sitting down on the floor and hoping his actions would put Joey’s friends at ease. “We are brothers. Tell me what the trouble is.”

Tristan ran his hand upwards through the single spike in his hair and gave Atem a funny look. “You wanna sit somewhere that’s not the floor…dude?”

“The floor is fine and it’s comfortable,” Atem said smoothly. “If the floor is good enough for you, it’s good enough for me. Feel free to sit anywhere you like. My room is your room.”

There was another silence. Duke was the first to break it, diving down and sitting stiffly across from Atem with a nervous smile.

“Can I have a ruby?” Duke asked shamelessly, and Joey threw his spear downwards, narrowly missing the end of Duke’s fins. Duke curled back with a yelp before rising angrily to face Joey with his claws outstretched.

“What the FUCK, man, I _just_ healed!”

Sensing a fight, Tristan looped his arms around Duke’s body and held him back as he struggled to claw at Joey’s bare chest.

“Don’t ask that kind of stuff from him!” Joey shouted back, looking stricken. “That ain’t cool—”

“Your baby sister got her hair braided with tons of rubies, why am I not allowed to ask for the same treatment?” Duke argued, fighting Tristan with all his might, baring his fangs, looking as if he was about to spit.

Atem watched the scene unfold above him with growing apprehension. Duke did not seem like a friend of Joey’s.

“Cuz she’s girl, ya fucking dolt,” Joey growled, drifting down to pick his spear up from the sand. “Let’s not fight in front of him. Hate me later all you want, you’re the one who wanted to tag along.”

“Yeah, cuz you don’t let your pod-mates sneak out in the middle of a Resting Period,” Duke shot back with an accusatory glare. “Don’t visits to the Palace have to be announced and recorded? You’re basically visiting him _illegally_ and bringing him _shore garbage_ …illegally.”

“He’s a friend, man, calm down!” Tristan said, his grip loosening around Duke’s body. “We brought it, and now we’re leaving. Chill the fuck out, _Dungeon Master_.”

“And what kind of king collects shore garbage anyway?” Duke continued ruthlessly, rounding on Atem as he floated above him, still trying to elbow Tristan off of him. “Lemme guess, you’re also the one who suggested Joey challenge himself and try to break his pact! Are you taking advantage of him cuz he’s the stupidest one in our entire pod?”

“Hey, who you callin’ stupid?” Joey growled angrily, the tips of his ears growing red. “I ain’t stupid just cuz I failed all my written exams. I can still throw a spear right in your eye from a meter away—”

 _GUYS! Shut up! Someone is coming!_ Tristan yelled so loudly in his thoughts, Atem winced and felt a slight headache.

Sure enough, there was an urgent knock on the door, and handle rattled quietly.

Atem rose from the ground and pointed at his bed with a firm finger, “Sit. And leave all your spears down in the sand, now.”

He floated towards the door, using a light-hearted tone, “Who is it?”

 _Atem? Are you in danger?!_ Mahad’s deep voice echoed warmly in Atem’s mind, and Atem unlatched the door slowly, sending a thought back.

_No, Mahad. They’re my friends._

He pulled the door back and let his bodyguard glance inside his room.

Mahad surveyed the scene before him with doubt, taking in the three young mermen wearing cadet warrior decorations on their bodies, the pile of spears in the far corner of the room, and a bunch of litter on the floor.

“We’re playing a game, and things got heated,” Atem said reassuringly, lying with ease. “I believe it’s called Choose the Bottle—a shore-concept game.”

“I thought it was called ‘ _Spin_ the Bottle’,” Tristan interjected bravely, and Duke shot him a look, replying sarcastically, “That’s when you wanna kiss someone. You wanna kiss me, big boy?”

“Ah…friends,” Mahad said stiffly, bowing shallowly at the three men on the bed who all ducked their head down respectfully in return. “Well, glad to see you’re enjoying yourself…please rest when you’re tired, my king. I’ll leave you now.”

Atem mustered the friendliest smile he could and waited until Mahad’s violet fins disappeared down the end of the hall before he closed the door and latched it again with a sigh.

“…That’s Warrior Mahad,” Duke said, stiff with awe and respect. “He looks cooler in the painting hanging in our Main Hall.”

“It’s no wonder he heard us,” Joey muttered, swishing the sand with his tail glumly. “We can’t even keep our thoughts to ourselves.”

“Practice makes perfect,” Tristan sang lightheartedly, rising from the bed with a lazy stretch. “He’s gonna give us tips on how to behave on Shore in a couple of moons. Can’t wait to learn cool stuff from him.”

Atem floated awkwardly before the three mermen and bowed quickly, hearing all three gasp, and silence enveloped the room once more.  
  
“Please don’t bow at us, man, that makes me feel fucking weird,” Tristan said, floating beside Atem and giving him a tentative nudge.

“Thank you for risking your safety,” Atem said, his throat growing tight with emotion while he kept his head lowered. “Thank you for sneaking out during your Resting Period to bring me this garbage for my petty reasons. I’m sorry to have troubled you.”

There was another long, stifling silence, and Duke was the first to speak.

“Oh fuck.”

“Yeah, toldja not to believe those rumors,” Joey said quietly, also rising to float beside Atem, and he threw his arm around the king’s shoulders, giving him a playful hug. “Duke owes you an apology.”

“Sorry I thought you were an uppity prick because you wear a crown,” Duke said monotonously, not making eye contact. His eyes were roaming around the room, and he spied the woven kelp curtain in the far corner, his eyes widening with interest.

“Yes, feel free to take as much as you want,” Atem said hastily, straightening up and dashing towards his closet. He flung the woven curtain back and gestured for Duke to swim closer.

This was his personal treasury, where he kept all the gifts he’d received from over the past centuries, all the handmade jewelry from mer-people during his many processions, and all his tears, organized by gem, color, and size, stacked in piles sitting in large abalone shells.

He heard simultaneous gasps of shock and excitement from his new friends, and he floated aside to let the men dive into his treasury.

“These are bigger than my knuckles!” Duke cried, holding up an opal to the light, inspecting it with wonder. “I’ve never seen anything this big! And this!” He held up a ruby and diamond in the palm of his hand, admiring their sparkle in the low light.

“Y-Yes…” Atem said awkwardly, feeling his heart grow heavy at the memory of shedding those tears. “Those were from when my father passed…”

“Oh…f—" Duke dropped the large gems back into the abalone shell with a loud clink and floated awkwardly back out of the closet. “S-Sorry dude.”

“Please take them, for your troubles,” Atem encouraged gently. “I’ll probably be shedding many more…for a certain someone.”

Duke shook his head fervently, looking deeply regretful. “Nah…it’s cool. I’m good…I’m fine.”

“Well, please take _some_ ,” Atem pressed, feeling a smile curving at the corners of his lips. “The smaller ones. I don’t even remember what tantrum I was throwing. Take them to an Alchemist. Perhaps they can merge them into a bigger gem for you.”

“Ha!” Tristan cried, slapping Duke playfully on the shoulder as he swam out of the closet with a handful of necklaces. “This guy is so broke, he can’t afford the Alchemist’s fee. C’mon dude, just pick some bracelets. Gotta stock up if you meet that pretty girl later on.”

“But I wanted to have a ruby…for the red dot on my dice-shaped earrings!” Duke said sadly, eyeing the stacks of rubies in their abalone tray. “I can’t take one knowing how he felt…”

“Don’t talk about me like I’m not here,” Atem said impatiently, floating into the closet and grabbing a small handful of tiny glittering rubies.

He spun around and pressed them into Duke’s hand, feeling the merman’s clawed fingers shrinking away respectfully, trying to refuse.

“Take it, and make me a pair of earrings too,” Atem said warmly, pointing at his own bare earlobes. “I gave mine away, and people keep asking why I’m not wearing earrings anymore. Come back if you need more.”

Duke nodded mutely, his knuckles white over the rubies in his fist, his face red with a mixture of embarrassment and happiness.

“Aww…lookit him,” Joey grinned, nudging Duke playfully with the butt of his spear. “He’s blushing.”

“But we really gotta jet before the Resident Assistant notices we’re gone,” Tristan said, picking up his spear and swimming quickly to the door. “We’ll come back soon, King! Thanks for the loot!”

“Yes, thanks,” Duke said, finally finding his voice as he lifted his spear out of the sand, hastily joining Tristan at the door.

“You’re welcome,” Atem said happily, letting Joey pull him into a crushing hug before the blond merman also joined his companions at the door and gave him a solid thumbs-up.

Tristan unlatched the door and swam out into the hallway, followed quickly by Duke.

“See ya later alligator!” Joey waved and dove out the door, leaving a trail of white bubbles flowing in his wake.

Atem raised his hand in a wave and dropped it heavily at his side when he found himself alone in the room, with the door swinging open on its hinges.

The silence was deafening.

A visit from his rowdy new friends had changed him.  
He never knew how much time he had spent alone in the silence…until now.

This was only a further reminder of how alone he really was.

* * *

**Author’s note:**  
  
poor atem, getting angsty after his friends leave. (tbh idk if anyone feels like that irl cuz I sure as heck do)

Thief merman bakura makes an appearance  
  
kaiba is on the hunt ™ for more and more mer-baby info.

edited by: taedae

please leave a review to let me know how excited you are for the next chapter!

BTW here is a wonderful fanart drawn by the lovely [marshmacaron on twitter!!!](https://twitter.com/_Marsh_Macaron_/status/1172692762350817280)

its wonderful! thank you so so much!! it looks just like him!!! :DDD

hugs,  
  
Ugli


	25. Chapter 25

Kaiba stepped out of the limousine and was immediately greeted by a doctor, who bowed deeply while grasping his hand.

“Mr. Kaiba! Your donation was so generous, we really are thankful,” the man gushed, while a couple of nurses stood by the door, holding it open respectfully with their heads lowered.

Kaiba withdrew his hand uncomfortably and resisted the urge to wipe it on his pants. The doctor’s hands were damp with nervous sweat.

Could they skip the formalities and just head inside already? The _‘man who didn’t age_ ’ was reportedly living here based on his findings from the facial recognition program, and Kaiba was itching to meet him.

The main problem was somehow managing to interrogate the old man without raising the staff’s suspicions.

Kaiba let the doctor chatter away while he followed him into the facility, glancing at all the potted plants that decorated the entryway.

The receptionist rose quickly to her feet and bowed politely. Kaiba immediately caught a stream of hostile thought from her.

_The handsome but elusive billionaire…more like a spoiled shut-in with too much money to do whatever he wants. He’s here to harass the elderly…._

Ignoring her, Kaiba continued following the doctor, walking into a wide ballroom that had been transformed into a recreational area filled with tables and exercise equipment.

“We were able to buy many new exercise machines and a ping pong table. The women love it,” the doctor said excitedly, thrusting a hand out proudly and nodding respectfully at an old woman who stared at them from a neighboring table.

“Cool,” Kaiba said noncommittedly, hearing the old woman’s thoughts loudly in his left ear.

_WHAT A HANDSOME YOUNG MAN! MY LUCKY DAY!_

He winced and trailed his gaze upwards, taking in the large spiraling staircase leading up to the second and third floor.

“Show me the other rooms,” Kaiba said emptily, scanning every single elderly face that turned to stare at him. Some people from the veranda outside were also turning to stare. None of them matched the white-haired profile of the mysterious man he was seeking.

“Very well,” the doctor said nervously, wringing his hands. “Ah…but, there isn’t much to see. This is our nicest area. Perhaps we could take a walk outside? We have a lovely garden where we’ve planted many…”

_Oh no…he’s unhappy. What did I do or say? He doesn’t like the look of this place?  
I mean, we were poor to begin with! His money, however much, doesn’t work miracles. Ah…Ueno-san was right, dammit, I should’ve listened to her. He came by to see how much of a difference his money made, and honestly…not much…ah damn…damn…damn…he’s not saying anything…damn…damn…_

“Leave me alone for a bit,” Kaiba said bluntly, realizing his mere presence was off-putting. “I’m here to visit someone I may be distantly related to—”

“OH! Then, let me search our records for you!” the doctor cried, his eyes sparkling with hope and excitement. “That’s right, you were adopted, weren’t you? Ah…”

The doctor lowered his head, falling silent awkwardly, and his thoughts flooded Kaiba’s mind quickly.

_Crap! I interrupted him. That was rude. But he was rude first! ‘Leave me alone,’ he said. Are we speaking bluntly? Or is the difference in our ranks is too high…ah fuck._

“I know his name,” Kaiba began quietly, fully aware that everyone in the vicinity was listening in on their conversation. “Yanagi Michio.”

“Ah, Yanani-san…he’s—” the doctor frowned and began to sweat visibly. “May I speak honestly, Mr. Kaiba?”

_Crap, crap, bad news, oh dear…_

“Speak frankly, I can take bad news,” Kaiba said coldly, hearing more delighted shouts from other elderly people’s thoughts, and he really wished they were somewhere more private.

“He’s rude and hard to approach,” the doctor said firmly. _Just like you, Mr. Kaiba. Perhaps they are related ahhahaha…. someone kill me, I’m sweating too much here…._

“Sounds about right,” Kaiba said with a small smile. “Let me speak to him.”

“Third floor, room 305,” the doctor said shakily with a deep bow. “Please enjoy the rest of your visit, and please let me know if you need anything….”

Kaiba hurried away from the doctor and took the stairs three at a time, not caring how crazy he appeared to the other residents. He could hear their thoughts echoing in his mind, slowly driving him insane.

 _Is that Mr. Kaiba? Seto Kaiba?_  
  
Wow, so handsome…prettiest man I’ve seen in all my days…

Gritting his teeth, Kaiba strode down the hallway, and an orderly bowed hastily as he passed.

Ignoring him, Kaiba stopped at the door labeled 305 and rested his hand on the doorknob, listening intently for activity on the other side.   
Nothing but silence.  
Satisfied, Kaiba turned the knob, but to his annoyance, it was locked.

He rattled the doorknob, and an angry voice called back at him, “Go away! Not hungry or thirsty!”

“I’m not a doctor,” Kaiba said stiffly through gritted teeth. “Open the damn door now.”

“A stranger then? No thanks,” came the reply, and Kaiba growled, contemplating crushing the doorknob in his hand before he came up with a better, non-violent solution. A lie.

 _I’m a warrior,_ Kaiba thought furiously, glaring at the solid grey door. _Open up, old man._

 _That’s no way to address your elders_ , the old man replied spitefully, but to Kaiba’s relief, the lock clicked, and the door opened a tiny crack.

Without waiting a second, Kaiba barged in rudely and the old man stumbled back in surprise with an irritated cry.

Slamming the door behind himself, Kaiba made sure to turn the lock before he spun around to tower over the old man, taking in his every feature, noticing how the old man’s skin was taut, with barely an extra wrinkle around his eyes and mouth. He didn’t look a day over 50.

“Show your rank, and show your respect,” the old man barked, stepping back and pointing an accusing finger at him. “I see you’re wearing clothes head to toe, even covering your neck. Well?”

“You first,” Kaiba said automatically, inching his hand down towards his phone. “I don’t know if I have the right person.”

The old man raked his gaze intrusively over Kaiba’s tall form, his eyes narrowing when he spotted Kaiba’s sharp fingernails.

“Pa!” the old man crowed, pointing at his hands. “You’re young and inexperienced. File your nails down, boy! No human male has fingers like that. Quickly now, what’s your problem? I’m not a cure-all, you know. I’m tired of being bothered by you Randoms just showing up here, blowing my cover.”

“Your cover was already blown…in Singapore,” Kaiba said bluntly, surveying the room carefully. It was nicely furnished but still barren, with only a bed, a desk, a mirror, and safety bars over the window. Was this a prison cell?

“No, you idiot, those are for keeping the crazy humans safe from harm,” the old man said loftily, crossing his arms across his chest and eyeing Kaiba headily. “You speak Japanese well. What colony are you from?”

“Not telling until you show me your branded mark,” Kaiba retaliated smoothly, tingling with anticipation. “I’m not an idiot.”  
He was so close…so close.  
This man was a merman!  
  
The old man eyed him shrewdly and nodded. “Very well. You young ones sure follow the Code to the letter. I can appreciate that.”

Kaiba slipped his phone out and palmed it, watching the old man slowly lift his shirt up. Sure enough, sitting right on the upper corner of his chest was a raised scar with delicate lines drawn in the shape of a lotus flower. A slender crescent moon hugged the entire flower, and Kaiba allowed himself to stare for a millisecond before he slipped out his phone and took a quick succession of photos.

The old man dropped his shirt and glared furiously, his face growing red with rage and embarrassment.

“What is the meaning of that?!” he snapped, backing away towards his desk and slipping his hand into the drawer, producing a pair of sharp scissors and aiming the point at Kaiba.

“Gotcha!” Kaiba smiled devilishly and tucked the phone safely back into his pocket. “Now, tell me where the nearest Chrysalis is, or I’ll report you to the doctor here. You’ll be in the news all over again, and you’ll be forced to relocate.”

“Wh—What…why…!” the old man sputtered, his hand holding the scissors wavered shakily, and Kaiba listened intently to his thoughts.

_Blackmail! No, he’s definitely not human, but perhaps a warrior who has lost his way! He looks Pure! And young!_

“I can hear your perverted thoughts, old man,” Kaiba drawled, leaning against the door, listening for any footsteps that might be headed their way. “And sure, I am those things: pure, young, and I’ve lost my way. So the fuck what? Chrysalis location, now.”

“Y-You’re calling it a Chrysalis, eh?” The old man attempted to leer, but it only looked like a frightened grimace. “That means you’re from a Southern Colony. They’re a bunch of filthy elitists with too many rules and too many half-bred mer-people.”

“Wow, look who sounds exactly like an elitist,” Kaiba taunted, his triumph rising at this new information. “Half breeds? Half-human, right?”

“You _are_ an idiot,” the old man declared, still holding the scissors up at eye-level. “You’re one of those pretty, but empty-headed ones. Did you fail all your written exams, Lost Warrior? Yes, of course, what other kind of half would they be?”

“Right, so where can I find a human woman who has given birth to a half merperson?” Kaiba asked genuinely, tucking a hand under his chin and completely unfazed by the pair of scissors still aimed at him.

“Are you asking me to do your Assignment for you? You’re failing that badly? Get out!” the old man spat, lowering the scissors and pointing at the door. “And file your nails, for god’s sake, or you’ll blow the cover of everyone in your worthless pod.”

“I take it you don’t know,” Kaiba said casually, examining his sharp nails with an air of indifference. “Ah, damn. And they told me you were a know-it-all genius.”

“My wisdom extends only to human matters, not half-breed matters,” the old man barked, stamping his foot in an oddly childish way. “GET OUT, or I will spit on you, I swear on Suijin’s staff I will blind you and ruin your pretty looks.”

Kaiba held his palms up defensively and smiled the friendliest smile he could, “Thanks for the info old man.”

With that, he turned and hastily unlocked the door to make his exit. He could hear the old man’s spiteful thoughts following him down the hallway even after the door slammed shut behind him.

_Young and arrogant. Exactly how a failed warrior behaves! It’s no wonder he’s lost his way. He’d better find a Gene Pool before he dries up and starts vomiting blood._

“Jokes on you, I’m already vomiting,” Kaiba muttered under his breath, nearly running headfirst into the doctor on his way down the staircase.

“Ah, Mr. Kaiba! Did the visit go well?” the doctor bowed deeply and straightened up with a flushed expression. “The orderly on the third floor told me Yanagi-san let you in! He rarely ever does…not even for me. Tell me how you did it!”

“I told him I might be related to him, and he clearly hates me,” Kaiba answered truthfully, deciding to spin the story out more in the old man’s favor. “He belongs here. All he remembers is how to be nasty, so I’m glad this is where he’s comfortable.”

“Ah…” the doctor nodded and bowed repeatedly, at a loss for words, but his thoughts were loud and clear.

_Such high praise. Seto Kaiba really understands the old man, and this must be the real reason behind his donation. He isn’t heartless after all…  
I wonder if they really are family…._

“I’ll be leaving. Don’t bother escorting me to the front,” Kaiba said plainly, brushing past the doctor and hurrying down the rest of the steps.

The receptionist at the front thanked him profusely as he walked by, but all he heard was more of her condescending thoughts.

_Damn, he’s so handsome up close, but it’s no wonder he’s single. He will be, for the rest of his life. No woman wants to live with that kind of man, regardless of money or status._

Rolling his eyes, Kaiba threw himself into the backseat of his limousine and made brief eye-contact with Isono in the rearview mirror.

 _Drive, old man,_ Kaiba thought at him irritably, not bothering to open his mouth to speak, and he heard Isono reply shakily with a verbal, “Yes sir.”

Pleased with himself, Kaiba slipped his phone out to inspect the photos he had taken.

A couple were blurry, but the rest were clear and crisp. It really was a lotus blossom encircled with a crescent moon. A little bit of a weird combination, but whatever.

This was perfect. He was going to find a way to apply this mark to his own skin so any time he came across another walking merperson, he would have solid proof of his solid lie.

Smiling to himself, he settled back into the seat and listened carelessly to Isono’s thoughts while they drove down the scenic tree-lined road back towards their own city.

* * *

Atem settled himself on the algae-covered stone step, right between Joey and Tristan. They both instantly threw a friendly arm around Atem’s shoulders and jostled him back and forth between them playfully.

“Hey, it’s the king! We got the king!” Tristan crowed, and Joey laughed joyfully, echoing the same sentiment. “It’s da kiiing!”

“Shut up, you dolts,” Duke rolled his eyes, sitting stiffly at Tristan’s side, his eyes nailed to the amphitheater stage where a Scholar was arranging documents on a podium.

Atem smiled warmly at his friends, feeling a twinge of excitement. Mahad was about to give a speech on Shore Behavior, and he was very interested in this topic too. Quite a few mermaids were sitting in the very front, giggling and preening themselves, clearly ready to catch his eye.

“…Can’t believe your sister is in the front row,” Duke muttered at Joey, waving his tail anxiously back and forth underneath himself. “I want special treatment too. Hey Atem, get us to the front row.”

“Hell no! The back is where the party’s at,” Tristan declared, and several people turned to give him annoyed stares. “Alright, I’ll shut up…jeez.”

A hush fell over the crowd, and Mahad floated onto the stage, bowing deeply with his staff at his side, and to Atem’s surprise, everyone rose out of their seats to bow respectfully in return before settling back down.

There was a silence as Mahad surveyed the entire audience, and he smiled warmly, holding his hands out widely, his voice booming in the amphitheater.   
  
“Friends…Warriors, Scholars, my brothers, and ladies,” he beamed at the girls in the front row, and Atem heard Duke groan in jealous agony. “Thank you for joining me here today. I have walked onshore too many times to count, but, if one must know, the number exceeds the fingers on both hands.”

Quiet whispers broke out, and Atem blinked, quite taken aback by this new information. Mahad had surfaced more than ten times?! In his entire lifetime?! That truly was amazing….

“Those of you who are still In Training know that the first rule is to learn the local dialect and slang, and perhaps manage to learn a few songs as well.”

Murmurs of agreement echoed up from the audience, and Atem could see Joey and Tristan nodding seriously, listening with deep rapture.

“But what you aren’t taught is how to deal with _kind_ humans,” Mahad said deeply, nodding. “Sometimes, humans act randomly, seemingly without reason. This is called _Acts of Random Kindness_. When this happens, do not, I repeat, _do not_ feel the need to reciprocate all the way. This will blow your cover. Simply say ‘thank you’, or give a gift in return, and move on. Remember their kindness, but do not linger on it. The human wants you to remember it.”

The audience replied with a chorus of “mmm’s” and “ah’s”.

Atem sat very still, drinking in the information, and doing his best to keep his mind focused on what Mahad was saying, but for some reason, his thoughts kept wandering back to Seto Kaiba.   
  
All this talk about human behavior was only making him miss Kaiba more deeply.

* * *

Kaiba stepped into the dingy shop and eyed his surroundings apprehensively.

It was empty. The smell of cigarette smoke lingered heavily in the air, and Kaiba wrinkled his nose, feeling his lungs burn.   
Enhanced sense of smell, sight and sound was not doing him any favors right now.

“Hey!” Kaiba called loudly, craning his neck and seeing an empty chair beside a rickety exam table.

This was reportedly a yakuza establishment where people would come to get tattooed. Kaiba had only managed to find this location after bribing a couple of seedy-looking men loitering in front of a karaoke bar in a bad part of town.

He heard footsteps behind him, so he stood very still and did nothing.

 The cigarette stench was getting stronger.

“Oi, who the fuck are you?” A voice with a rough accent addressed him rudely, and he felt a soft punch land between his shoulder blades.   
  
Kaiba slowly turned around and stared at the scrawny man before him. He was wearing a cheap black suit, but the silk tie shone eerily underneath the fluorescent lights.

Two other men appeared behind him, effectively blocking the entrance, and Kaiba felt a chill run up his spine when he saw the men take up protective stances with their legs planted apart, and their hands clasped before them, their faces grim.

“I guess I found the right place,” Kaiba said lightly, choosing his words carefully while managing a smirk. “I want a tattoo.”

The scrawny man took a threatening step towards him, his chin comically only reaching Kaiba’s chest, but his beady eyes were hostile.

“No, you don’t. Get the fuck out, and leave your wallet, Rich Boy.”

“I’ll leave a stack of cash,” Kaiba said cleverly, fully ready to be extorted for all he was worth. “But I don’t even think you can do it. The design is complicated.

 “What?” The man spat, his eyes raking up and down Kaiba’s tall form intrusively. “Who do think I am? Insulting me already? Show me a photo.”

Kaiba made brief eye contact with the men at the door, noticing that both had tattoos peeking out from underneath their suit sleeves. Holding his breath lightly to keep his nostrils clear of cigarette stench, he slowly slipped his hand into his blazer pocket to produce his phone

He tapped the screen and held it up to the scrawny gangster’s face, seeing the man’s eyes widen at the sight of the scarred tattoo.

“You want…this?” The man pointed a finger at Kaiba’s phone and threw his head back, laughing rambunctiously and showing all his teeth. “Hey men, look at this! Rich Boy wants to get a tattoo like this!”

The two men at the door marched silently forward and bent down to inspect the image on Kaiba’s phone. There was a second of silence before all three men looked at each other and burst out into hostile laughter, their voices echoing painfully in Kaiba’s eardrums.

“This guy…! Scarification?!” One of the men pointed at Kaiba and doubled over laughing, slapping his buddy on the shoulder, who was wheezing and halfway on the floor, weak with mirth.

“I’m fucking serious,” Kaiba fumed, staring at the three men, all bent over with laughter, gasping for breath and wiping tears off their face.

“You’re a funny man, Seto Kaiba,” the scrawny leader said, straightening up and holding his hand out for a shake. “It’s true what they say about rich people. Life is boring because you can have it all. You’re seeking a thrill?”

Kaiba shook the man’s hand with a grim smile, “You can do it?”

“No, you’re right, I can’t,” the man said bluntly, giving him a leery smile. “But I know three men in the entire world who can, and they’re not in Japan. You’re a powerful person, so how about you owe me a favor instead of cash? Your power is worth more than money.”

“A favor?” Kaiba repeated, his anxiety rising. Oh no, this was bad. Owing any kind of favors to anyone was a horrible position to be in. “No. Cash only.”

“Tsk,” the scrawny leader clicked his teeth in annoyance and folded his arms across his chest, giving Kaiba an apprehensive glare. “Boys, what do we think? Take his cash, and chop off the hand he uses to masturbate with, or let him go after he promises us a favor?”

Kaiba gazed intently into the man’s beady eyes, hearing his thoughts easily through the rapid pounding of his own heart.

_My daughter would be able to make it into a top tier university with his recommendation. She’s always being bullied for being the daughter of a gangster…a prestigious school would set her life straight, straighter than mine anyway…_

“Fine,” Kaiba said tersely, eyeing the two men behind him and reading their thoughts briefly.

 _Leader doesn’t want money?! This guy has gone crazy!_  
  
Gonna tell the boss about this. Not taking money from Seto Kaiba, but wants a favor instead.

“Fine?” the scrawny leader echoed, raising his eyebrows.

_Just like that? Man, this guy…feels off. Something is weird with him._

“Yeah, I’ll write your daughter a recommendation letter for any T or K university,” Kaiba said stiffly, holding his hand out once more for a shake. “I’ll throw in extra cash for your two lugs back there too. Give me the three names and your daughter’s information.”

There was a long, uncomfortable silence and Kaiba settled himself into it, listening contentedly to the men’s thoughts as they began to visibly sweat.

_H-Holy shit, what? How does he know I have a daughter?_

_BOSS IS GONNA BE HAPPY WITH THIS! CASH FOR ME TODAY!_  
  
Shit, now I want a favor too. Leader is always sticking his neck out for his daughter.

“V-Very well. Let me get a piece of paper,” the scrawny leader said, moving to the back of the shop and Kaiba could hear a pen scratching as he wrote. “If you can give her a job too, Mr. Kaiba, I’d appreciate that.”

“Oh, I’m ‘Mr. Kaiba’ now?” Kaiba grinned casually, still feeling tense. “I said I’d only write the letter. I can lie and say she did work for me, and also fake the papers. I don’t ever want to meet her.”

The leader held the folded paper out with both hands and bowed his head stiffly, “Very well. Now get lost.”

Kaiba snatched the paper out of the man’s hand, not bothering to return with formalities, and he brushed past the two men at the front, nodding at them.

“I’ll have one of my men drop by this location with cash. Got a time?”

“Tomorrow, noon,” the lug on the left answered, barely able to contain his excitement. Kaiba nodded and hurried away down the dirty alleyway, relishing in the gangster’s happy thoughts.

_Money money money! New car, new clothes! I wonder how much! He’s so damn rich, anything more than 100,000 yen is to be expected!_

“Idiots,” Kaiba muttered to himself, rounding the corner and breathing a heavy sigh of relief as he stood on the corner of a busy street. He unfolded the paper and squinted at the gangster’s oddly neat handwriting, thankful he hadn’t been fooled into walking out with a blank page.

 _Koizumi Sakurako (my daughter, and don’t you dare contact my wife)_  
chibitoro.softbank.jp   
chibitoro.i.goo.jp  
2-0-2 Higashiyama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo  
103-8043

 _Tiong Fann Poh (Thomas Peng)– #12 – 90 Keng Towers_  
BLDG A6  
Singapore  565751  
REPUBLIC OF SINGAPORE

 _Rebecca Wong (Becki/Becca) –790 Danucuabe ESP_  
South Shore Beach, 4729  
(she may have moved, I forgot, maybe in Victoria now)    
AUSTRALIA

 _Pengaru Bin Ramli (Amil)  – K-23-19 Tejuas Condominium_  
Jalan Murni Delima 10 Kajan Delima  
70006 Kota Kinabalu  
Ipoh  
MALAYSIA

“Oh fuck,” Kaiba said, wavering slightly on the spot with shock. Either this gangster was sending him on a wild goose chase all over the world, or these were legit addresses to legit people who could apply the scarred tattoo.

He snapped a photo of the paper before stuffing it all back into his blazer pocket, feeling people staring at him as he walked by.

Time to get out of the public’s eye, get home, and track down these three strangers.

* * *

Atem waited anxiously outside in the courtyard with Serenity floating quietly beside him, wringing her hands with worry.

“He spent the past six moons studying for this,” she said, swimming around Atem for the lack of something to do. “I even helped. He’ll pass, won’t he? He has to!”

“He will pass,” Atem reassured her, but deep down, he had slight reservations about Joey’s exam-taking abilities. His friend had somehow managed to fail all his written exams and was now taking a verbal one. Given the way Joey spoke, Atem was pretty sure it wasn’t going to go well, but he wanted to wait outside the exam arena just to show his support.

“I heard Warrior Mahad is one of the judges,” Serenity said, sounding close to tears. “I heard he’s harsh and very judgmental! Oh, my poor brother…”

“Mahad is kind, and will take everything into consideration,” Atem said, gently patting her on the shoulder with a sympathetic smile. “Don’t believe everything you hear.”

“But I heard things about _you_ which turned out to be true,” Serenity protested, her brown hair floating prettily around her face. “Mana says you’re generous, and strong-willed, and brave…you _are_ all of those things!”

“Th-Thank you,” Atem said awkwardly, feeling the tips of his ears grow warm at the sudden compliments. “Well, Mahad is harsh, but he is fair. If Joey fails, which he won’t, then we will know which parts he needs to improve on before he takes the exam again—”

Atem was interrupted by a triumphant whoop as Tristan came zooming towards them with a scroll in hand, and a spear in the other, pumping his fist in the water excitedly.

“What is it? What is it, Tristan?!” Serenity asked hysterically, “Did you see Joey in there? How’s he doing?”

“Forget about him, I PASSED!” Tristan yelled, tossing his spear directly upwards in the water and doing a magnificent flip before managing to catch it again as it shot back down through the water. “Ha! Watch out humans, I’m commin’ for ya’!”

“But Joey?!” Serenity cried, but she was ignored as Duke came swimming towards them at breakneck speed, his black hair flowing messily out of his red bandana. He also carried a scroll and a spear with an insignia, and he tackled Tristan in the water with a happy yell.

“FUCK YEAH DUDES!” Duke shouted, his voice echoing in courtyard as he tossed his spear upwards in celebration. “Shore, here I come!”

“Boobs and alcohol, here I come!” Tristan snickered, throwing his arm around Duke’s shoulder and pulling him into a playful headlock. “Can’t wait to touch ’em! I hear girls find us more attractive onshore.”

Atem watched this exchange with envy, now wishing he could have studied for an exam to walk on shore with his friends, but he knew his court would never let him.   
  
It was a sore reminder that his duties remained underwater while his warrior friends got to enjoy a decade of mandatory study on shore.

“Where’s Joey?” Serenity demanded, crossing her arms angrily and floating in front of the boys who were still arm-in-arm, singing lewd lyrics to a human song.

“Still in there being grilled by Warrior Mahad and the rest of the Board,” Duke snickered. “He looked so nervous; you should’ve seen his face.”

“ _‘You’re the only Warrior this millennium who has failed all your written exams’_ ,” Tristan said in a mockingly pompous voice, _“‘What do you have to say for yourself, Warrior Jounouchi?’_ ”

Duke doubled over laughing, slapping his fin in mirth as Serenity’s face grew redder and redder.

Sensing an argument, Atem opened his mouth to defend Joey, but to his relief, his friend swam out of the exam room and floated glumly towards them.

“Oh no…Joey!” Serenity drove quickly towards her brother and threw her arms around him in a tight embrace. “Did you pass?”

“Yo, spill the deets,” Tristan called, while he and Duke paused in their rambunctious singing to stare at him. “Why the long face? Pass or fail? C’mon man, talk!”

Atem held his breath, feeling his heart sink rapidly to the floor, taking in Joey’s gloomy aura. Oh no….

Joey lifted his head, his eyes brimming with tears, and he threw his arms around his little sister, bawling loudly.

In each of his fists, there was a scroll and a spear bearing the royal insignia.

“Oh shiiiiiit, YES!” Duke crowed, breaking away from Tristan and slapping Joey on the back. “Hell yes, dude! Congrats! You’re not stupid, I knew it!”

Serenity, who couldn’t see the spear and scroll in Joey’s arms which were locked around her back, turned her head frantically, her cheek still tightly pressed into Joey’s chest. “What is it? He passed? Or he didn’t? Joey! Why are you crying?! Don’t cry!”

“He passed!” Atem breathed a sigh of relief and let out a laugh, also rushing forward to pull Joey into an embrace. “See? Mahad is fair and kind.”

Sniffling with joy, Joey threw his arms around Atem’s neck and clung onto him with a tight hug, “H-He t-t-told me that I’d m-make a good w-warrior c-cuz we-we’re such g-g-good f-friends…”

“Yes, indeed,” Atem said gruffly, patting Joey gently on the back, biting back his own tears of relief and happiness. “Walk on shore proudly, my friend.”

Joey nodded vigorously and sent Atem a private thought amidst the chaos of the celebration around them.

_I even have a hidey-hole spot dug out, so if there’s anything you need me to take on shore, drop it off there and I’ll deliver it to anyone you want._

Atem felt Joey pull away and watched him get jostled playfully by Tristan and Duke while Serenity swam in happy circles above their heads, singing sweet high notes.

He felt an odd pang of sadness.   
Somehow, the distance between them had increased.

Joey was going onshore with his friends, leaving him alone once again.

* * *

**Author’s note:**

Kaiba be losing his way for real, trolling some yakuza hot spots for a “Warrior’s Mark” tattoo that might not even be legit

Atem is struggling and missing kaiba™

Joey Tristan and duke are all going on shore for their mandatory studies! Yay!

edited by: taedae

 


End file.
